Hijacked cell division helped fuel rise of fungi. Duke Today, May 10, 2016. The more than 90,000 known species of fungi may owe their abilities to spread and even cause disease to an ancient virus that hijacked their cell division machinery, researchers report. Over a billion years ago, a viral protein invaded the fungal genome, generating a family of proteins that now play key roles in fungal growth. The research could point to new antifungals that inhibit cell division in fungi but not in their plant or animal hosts.
Category Archives: fungus
In the woods, stalking destroying angels
Link
In the woods, stalking destroying angels. Duke Research blog, September 19, 2014. Students head into the forest for Mushroom Hunting 101.
You don’t have to be an athlete to get athlete’s foot
Link
You don’t have to be an athlete to get athlete’s foot (YourWildLife.org, Howard Hughes Medical Institute) From: “Invisible Life,” a series of short pieces about the most common microbes in our homes and on our bodies.