All Fungi articles – Page 2
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NewsSynthetic biology reprograms plant–microbe partnerships for resilient agriculture
By integrating engineering principles with plant biology, a new review highlights how redesigned genetic pathways and plant-based biosensors can deepen understanding of plant responses to both harmful and beneficial microbes.
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NewsStructural diversity of pyripyropenes via biosynthetic gene cluster design and heterologous expression in Aspergillus nidulans
Researchers have designed a reconstituted biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for producing structurally diversified deacetylated pyripyropenes, using the native pyripyropene A BGC from the wild-type strain Aspergillus fumigatus Af 293 as a template.
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NewsYeast survives Martian conditions, study shows
Life on Mars would have to contend with challenging conditions including shock waves from meteorite impacts and soil perchlorates. Scientists subjected Saccharomyces cerevisiae to these conditions, finding those that survived had assembled RNP condensates.
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NewsRevolutionizing bioplastics: a microbial platform for fully bio-based long-chain polyesters
Researchers have developed a scalable, end-to-end microbial process transforming plant oils into sustainable polyesters comparable to petroleum-based plastics.
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NewsResearchers map correlations between gene variants and proteomes
Scientists have discovered a way to predict the effects of numerous mutations in yeast - a valuable tool for better understanding molecular mechanisms. Key to this discovery was a detailed analysis of the proteome – the collection of all proteins inside a cell.
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NewsProtein condensates determine a cell’s fate, yeast study reveals
To ensure they have all the information they need, molecules from throughout a cell gather and form aggregates that can have different consistencies: regions called “condensates”. Researchers have discovered how condensates contribute to cellular information exchange in yeast cells.
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NewsInspection confirmed mould damage in schools does not increase students’ risk of developing asthma
A recent study found that mould damage in school buildings does not increase the risk of asthma among students. The study included 110 Finnish primary and secondary schools, and the health of 30,000 students was tracked using national health registers over a 16-year period.
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NewsDeadwood-decomposing fungi feed germinating orchids
Deadwood-decomposing fungi feed germinating orchids, providing the carbon their tiny seeds don’t have. The finding not only closes a gap in our understanding of wild orchid ecology but also uncovers an important carbon flux in the ecosystem.
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NewsYeast proteins reveal the secrets of drought resistance
A new study in Cell Systems helps explain how organisms can come back from desiccation (the removal of water or moisture) while others fail by looking at the cell’s proteins. In the first survey of its kind, a team of researchers profiled thousands of proteins at once for their ability to survive dehydration and rehydration.
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NewsIncrease in cell volume and nuclear number of the Koji fungus enhances enzyme production capacity
This study revealed cellular traits of the koji fungus Aspergillus oryzae linked to enzyme production through cell biological analysis. The authors found that, over time in culture, hyphae thicken, resulting in a tenfold increase in cell volume. Simultaneously, the number of nuclei per hyphal cell also rises tenfold, exceeding 200.
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NewsCould a fungus provide a blueprint for next-gen hydrogels?
New research finds one fungal species, Marquandomyces marquandii, shows promise as a potential building block for new biomedical materials. It can grow into hydrogels, materials that hold lots of water and mimic the softness and flexibility of human tissues.
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NewsGene editing, traditional crossbreeding produce disease-resistant cacao plants
Researchers reported that they edited the gene TcNPR3 in cacao plants, ultimately resulting in disease-resistant cacao plants that had 42% smaller disease lesions when infected with phytophthora, compared to non-edited plants.
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NewsPathogenic yeast strains found in urban air but not along the coast
A pilot study has found that urban air contained pathogenic strains of Candida yeast that were absent in coastal air samples, revealing a potential transmission method.
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NewsFungi set the stage for life on land hundreds of millions of years earlier than thought
New research indicates the diversification of fungi hundreds of millions of years before the emergence of land plants. It suggests a common ancestor of living fungi dating to roughly 1.4–0.9 billion years ago.
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NewsFriendly soil fungus could replace chemical sprays in battle against crop diseases
A common soil fungus could help farmers reduce their reliance on synthetic fungicides by producing natural airborne chemicals that suppress plant diseases. Trichoderma hamatum releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that inhibit the growth of crop pathogens.
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NewsNatural antimicrobial drugs found in pollen could help us protect bee colonies from infection
Pollen gathered by honeybees contains antimicrobial-producing bacteria that protect the hive against disease, a new study reveals. The same beneficial bacteria occur in pollen stores of honeybee colonies and on pollen of nearby plants.
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NewsFungal toxin offers colonization support - in small doses
The yeast fungus Candida albicans not only uses the toxin candidalysin to cause infections, but also to colonize the oral mucosa inconspicuously – but only in finely balanced amounts. Too little toxin prevents oral colonization, too much triggers the immune system.
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NewsAI tool enables accurate measurement of diseased spikelet rate of wheat Fusarium Head Blight from phone images
A new study proposes a deep learning algorithm that can automatically measure the diseased spikelet rate (DSR) trait from wheat spike images with complex backgrounds captured by mobile phones, providing a measurement tool for wheat Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) resistance breeding.
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NewsRevealed: How fungus-farming termites protect gardens from invaders
When harmful fungi invade their carefully cultivated crops, some fungus-farming termites fight back with the precision of skilled gardeners, a new study reveals, smothering them in soil clumps enriched with microbial allies that inhibit fungal growth.
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NewsNew study reveals subway station fungal communities
Researchers who collected monthly samples from subway stations in Beijing found high fungal diversity, mostly non-pathogenic. Some opportunistic pathogens were also detected. Fungal communities varied significantly by season and station types.