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Categories: Biology: Microbiology, Ecology: Extinction

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A research group has found a new fungus from the group called Kickxellomycotina. The fungus, which was found on cave cricket feces, represents a new genus that inhabits the guts of animals -- a new discovery for this group of fungi. This finding indicates that this group evolved in connection with the animal gut; future studies will reveal the evolutionary stages between gut-inhabiting fungi and those with other life cycles.

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A multinational team of researchers in Europe report the discovery of a new antifungal antibiotic named solanimycin. The compound, initially isolated from a pathogenic bacterium that infects potatoes, appears to be produced by a broad spectrum of related plant pathogenic bacteria.

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Researchers found that the bacteria and fungi responsible for a severe form of childhood tooth decay together form 'superorganisms' with unexpected properties. The cross-kingdom groupings were more resistant to antimicrobials and physical removal than either species alone, sprouting 'limbs' to move as a group and spread rapidly on teeth.

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Scientists have made a significant genetic discovery that sheds light on the use of the drug caspofungin to treat a deadly fungal infection, Aspergillus fumigatus, which kills some 100,000 severely immunocompromised people each year.

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The presence of some fungal species in tumors predicts -- and may even help drive -- worse cancer outcomes, according to a new study.

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Scientists have created the first pan-cancer mycobiome atlas -- a survey of 35 types of cancer and their associated fungi.

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A recent study in Japan has found that reared ambrosia beetles, Euwallacea interjectus, can have symbiotic fungi different to those found in the wild. These findings suggest biocontrol implications for pest beetles that damage valuable crop trees such as fig trees.

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Researchers have demonstrated that chemical compounds containing special metals are highly effective in fighting dangerous fungal infections. These results could be used to develop innovative drugs which are effective against resistant bacteria and fungi.

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Researchers investigated how the process of human body decomposition affected microbial life of the surrounding soil microbiome. One factor that may play an important role is body mass index (BMI), they report.

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A new study links an amphibian die-off in Costa Rica and Panama with a spike in malaria cases. The study demonstrates the importance of biodiversity to human health.

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Fungal pathogens have a major global impact upon human health -- they are often difficult to diagnose and treat, and there is an urgent need for better diagnostics and more effective antifungal treatments. Using newly developed imaging technologies, researchers have now revealed how Candida albicans, a common fungus, evades immune responses. According to the researchers this involves an 'alien-like' shape shifting that allows the fungus to break out of immune cells.

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Researchers have identified a new reason to protect mangrove forests: they've been quietly keeping carbon out of Earth's atmosphere for the past 5,000 years.

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Insects that are adapted to perennially wet environments, like tropical rainforests, don't tend to do well when their surroundings dry out. New research indicates they may be equally averse to heavy rainfall. The results of an extensive five-year study conducted in Peru revealed a 50% decline in arthropod biomass following short periods of both drought and increased precipitation. One of only a few studies of this scope conducted in the tropics, the findings suggest terrestrial arthropods, a group that includes insects and spiders, will be more susceptible to climate change than previously suspected.

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A fungus that is a common cause of fungal meningitis undergoes a remarkable transformation once it enters the body, allowing it to infect the brain, according to new research. The discovery could lead to new strategies for blocking Cryptococcus neoformans infection and preventing detrimental effects on the host. C. neoformans is the leading cause of a rare but deadly swelling of the brain that occurs in people with weakened immune systems.

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In a new study, researchers have identified the structure of protein fibrils linked to a hereditary form of human prion disease. This insight, they say, reveals the mechanism for how prions can jump between some animal species, while retaining a transmissibility barrier between other species.

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A hallmark of a truly luxurious meal is a sprinkling of truffle shavings -- the fungal kind, not the chocolate. Nicknamed 'diamonds' of the culinary world, these fanciful fungi are prized for their unique flavor and scent. But newer truffle species are fighting to achieve that same gourmet status. Now, researchers have performed the first full aroma characterization of the Appalachian truffle, unlocking the potential for a new North American 'black diamond.'

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New research has mapped the DNA from more than 150 species of native rodents from across Australia, New Guinea and Melanesian islands, painting a clearer picture of how they're related and how they ended up spreading across the Pacific.

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Researchers have found a naturally occurring compound, known as hydroquinine, has bacterial killing activity against several microorganisms.

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Scientists have discovered that the vast anatomical variety of fungi stems from evolutionary increases in multicellular complexity.

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The fungus Ustilago maydis attacks corn and can cause significant damage to its host. To do this, it first ensures that the plant offers little resistance to the infection. The surgical precision it applies is shown by a new study.