Exogenous ATP delays senescent process of postharvest white mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) by regulating endogenous energy metabolism

• Exogenous ATP preserves mushroom well due to increasing the iATP level. • Extracellular ATP might acted as a signal in the cell regulates the iATP yield. • Transcriptome analysis showed eATP increased iATP level via regulating TCA and ETC. Exogenous ATP treatment has attracted increasing attention in fresh produce storage research. In this study, we investigated the effects of 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 mM ATP treatments on the physiological characteristics and intracellular ATP (iATP) metabolism of white mushrooms ( Agaricus bisporus ) stored at 3 ± 1° C. The 0.8 mM ATP treatment effectively maintained plasma membrane integrity, preserved mushroom quality, and inhibited respiration rates. Additionally, this treatment significantly increased iATP and Ca 2+ levels, enhanced H + -ATPase activity, and elevated the oxidative phosphorylation rate (OPR) of the electron transport chain (ETC). Activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase, COX) were sustained at higher levels, while AbSDH and AbCOX gene expression were upregulated, collectively enhancing iATP production and delaying mushroom senescence. Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of differentially expressed genes in both the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) cycle and ETC pathways in eATP-treated mushrooms. Through eATP-mediated signal transduction, the second messenger Ca 2+ was mobilized. These findings suggest that eATP delays postharvest mushroom aging by modulating TCA and ETC pathways to boost iATP synthesis, potentially acting as an extracellular-to-intracellular signaling molecule. The results advance our understanding of senescence regulation and highlight the role of extracellular ATP in postharvest fruit and vegetable metabolism.