Researchers at Kyoto University and Chosun University used CRISPR/Cas9 to disable gene mbp1 in Pleurotus ostreatus , producing mycelium mats that were approximately 30% stiffer and 50% stronger in tension than unedited controls. The edited fungal strains also produced harder mycelium-based composites under compression testing, and lost the ability to form fruiting bodies, which simplifies industrial production by keeping the fungus in its material-forming growth phase. This

Too long to read? Go for the highlights below. MycoWorks is shutting its South Carolina biomanufacturing plant and transitioning from mycelium cultivation to processing third-party mycelium with its proprietary Rei-Tan™ tanning technology The company's latest Rei-Tan™ innovation increases mycelium tensile strength from approximately 4 MPa to 18 MPa addressing mechanical performance limitations that hindered leather substitution The strategic shift responds to capital scarcity