Fungal

Aspergillus is a type of fungus commonly found in soil and decaying organic matter. While some species of Aspergillus are benign, others can cause infections in individuals with weakened immune systems, leading to conditions such as aspergillosis.The discovery reveals a new target for combating the deadly invader.Aspergillus and other fungi are so ubiquitous in our environment that we inhale hundreds to thousands of spores daily. Usually, they do not pose a danger to healthy individuals, but can prove fatal to those with…

Are you one of the many folks who’ve only just been introduced to Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the real-life parasitic fungus that takes over the nervous system of ants, through The Last Of Us’ HBO adaptation? Regardless of whether you’ve caught the Cordyceps bug recently or not, can I interest you in one of the smartest things some comics creators have done lately? Poison Ivy has Cordyceps powers now. Writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Marcio Takara’s Poison Ivy miniseries leapt onto shelves last summer, seeing…

If you've played the video game The Last of Us, or watched any of the recent TV adaptation, you'll be familiar with the idea of a mutated fungus infecting most of humanity – and there's now some science to match up with that science fiction.While we're not quite on the brink of a societal apocalypse like the one depicted in The Last of Us, researchers have demonstrated how pathogenic fungi could evolve in a warming climate to better withstand the heat inside our bodies.Considering it's that heat that does most of the job…

A new vaccine targeting the three most common human fungal infections is showing promising results in early preclinical studies. The data paves the way for future human trials testing this pan-fungal vaccine in the hopes of preventing infections that have been linked to over one million deaths a year.On HBO's new series The Last of Us, we're introduced to a world that has been decimated by a fungal pandemic. Succinctly explained in the very first moments of the premiere episode, fungi generally cannot survive in warm…

Wheat infected with Fusarium Head Blight: a growing problem in Europe. Credit: University of BathA new study led by the University of Bath in the UK has found that harmful fungal toxins are increasing in Europe’s wheat crops, with almost half of the crops affected.Wheat, the most commonly grown crop globally, is facing an increasing threat from harmful toxins. A study led by Dr. Neil Brown, a fungal biologist from the University of Bath in the UK and in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Exeter, has found…

The new findings will be important to the broader study of fungal evolution, particularly how fungi inherit important biotechnological features like enzymes that break down plant matter.A new study helps clarify the evolutionary origins of the “platypus of fungi.”Approximately 600 seemingly disparate fungi that never quite found a fit along the fungal family tree have been demonstrated to have a common ancestor. The research, which was led by the University of Alberta, used genome sequencing to give these peculiar…

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Scientists have delved into the makeup of a fungus species and discovered a novel compound with some promising cancer-fighting qualities. The anti-tumor effects were demonstrated in laboratory experiments but the team is optimistic about the path to clinical use, while the work has also serendipitously unearthed a new crimson dye with good food preservation potential.The fungus species at the center of the research is called Aspergillus cavernicola. The authors of this new study found that an extract of the fungus…

A pair of newly published studies have reported novel links between fungal microorganisms and cancer. The research reports different types of tumors seem to harbor unique fungal populations, raising the possibility of new ways to diagnose and treat cancer.There are trillions of microorganisms living inside us. The majority of those microbes are bacterial species but various types of fungi and viruses also make a home in our bodies.Different parts of our body harbor different populations of microbes, and recently…

NEW DELHI : A newly identified gene can hold the key to prevent fungal infection Candidiasis that often affects intensive-care unit (ICU) patients, cancer patients and patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, the ministry of…