Quorum sensing molecule-farnesol increased the production and biological activities of extracellular polysaccharide from Trametes versicolor

•Farnesol significantly increased EPS production by Trametes versicolor (2.7-fold).•Fluffy, loose and multi-hyphae morphology induced by farnesol was observed.•The physicochemical properties of EPS from farnesol-induced cultures were altered.•EPS-F showed stronger antioxidant and antitumor activities than the control. A novel strategy of exposing 2-day-old mycelia cultures to 0.8mM farnesol was developed to stimulate extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production in Trametes versicolor submerged cultures. Farnesol, a quorum sensing molecule in fungi, could significantly increase EPS production by promoting polysaccharide biosynthesis and regulating mycelial morphology. EPS yield reached a maximum of 2.56g/L that was 2.7-fold greater than that of control cultures. Farnesol made T. versicolor develop into fluffy, loose and multi-hyphae morphology, which facilitated the excretion of intracellular polysaccharide into culture medium. Moreover, EPS from farnesol-induced cultures (EPS-F) with higher carbohydrate and uronic acid contents mainly contained high molecular weight polysaccharide (134kDa, 85%), and comprised glucose, mannose and galactose in a molar ratio of 34.2:2.1:1.0. These physicochemical properties led to stronger antioxidant and antitumor activities of EPS-F. This is the first report that farnesol can significantly improve the production of polysaccharide with higher biological activities. It provides a novel strategy to enhance the production and bioactivity of mushroom polysaccharide using microbial quorum sensing molecules.