MEGHALAYA GLOWING MUSHROOM

Subject : Environment

Context : A mushroom documentation project in the forests of Northeast India has revealed not only 600 varieties of fungi, but also led to a new discovery: a bioluminescent — or light emitting — variety of mushroom.

Concept :

• The new species — named Roridomyces phyllostachydis — was first sighted on a wet August night near a stream in Meghalaya’s Mawlynnong in East Khasi Hills district and later at Krang Shuri in West Jaintia Hills district.
• It is now one among the 97 known species of bioluminescent fungi in the world.

Bioluminescence

• Bioluminescence is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light. Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence.
• Bioluminescent organisms are usually found in the ocean environments, but they are also found on terrestrial environments. The colour of the light emitted by the organism depends on their chemical properties.
• In the case of fungi, the luminescence comes from the enzyme, luciferase. The [green] light emits when luciferans is catalysed by the enzyme luciferase, in the presence of oxygen.