Shiny spores are the perfect way to get some of your favorite mushrooms without having to harvest them yourself. They’re easy to make, and they can last for years!

Spores are fungal seeds, and they can be found in many different types of mushrooms. They disperse through the air, and then some of them find a spot where they can develop into mycelium and grow.

The most common mushrooms with shiny spores are Psilocybe (magic mushrooms) and Ganoderma (Reishi mushrooms). These mushroom spores have been used for centuries to fight cancer, improve digestion, lower cholesterol levels, slow the signs of aging, and act as an antihistamine.

Identifying Shiny Spores: A Guide to Understanding and Working with Fungi

Healthy spores contain virus-like particles and bacterium-like organisms, along with lipid globules. The lipids in healthy spores are trehalose, which is a source of energy for the spore.

Germination occurs when germinants (usually a combination of purine nucleosides) are combined with a specific set of germinant receptors on the dormant spore’s membrane. The spore membrane has a number of germinant receptors, and each one is located under a different layer of integument. These receptors can be triggered by combinations of these germinants, or they can be triggered by a single germinant.

Germination of spores also requires the presence of a germinating hormone called diacylglycerol-transferase, or GerF. GerF is a protein that anchors GerAC to the spore membrane, where it can interact with other proteins and other substances to stimulate spore germination. In addition to GerF, GerAC contains a variety of proteins that help it activate and bind germinants.