All Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Function articles
-
NewsScientists discover ‘D-rex’, a giant fungus from Chinese forests whose unique lineage dates back 65 million years
Deep in the forests of Yunnan, China, scientists have discovered a ‘fungal giant’ that challenges our understanding of how large fungi can become. The newly described species, Dianjunus rex, produces vertical fruiting bodies up to 50 cm high and weighing up to 2.2 kg – the largest known within the phylum Ascomycota.
-
NewsRapid genomic test identifies fungal bloodstream infections
Researchers have developed a rapid genomic method that can identify fungal bloodstream infections at the species level in about seven hours. By combining host DNA depletion, whole-genome amplification and real-time nanopore sequencing, the approach could help clinicians select appropriate antifungal treatment much earlier.
-
NewsDecoding microbial communities: Metax improves taxonomic profiling
Researchers develop a computational tool for accurate identification and abundance estimation of microorganisms in complex samples.
-
NewsSixteen new fungus species found hiding in Thailand’s flowers
Researchers have discovered sixteen new species of fungus living unnoticed inside garden and wild flowers across northern Thailand, more than quintupling the number of such fungi known to occur in the country.
-
NewsNew study uncovers the complex history of the plague after the Black Death
A new study sheds fresh light on the long and complex history of the plague by analysing the DNA of the bacterium. Researchers reconstructed 26 genomes of Yersinia pestis from archaeological sites in Estonia, Russia, England, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
-
NewsHidden DNA in medieval gospels reveal history of deadly livestock virus
New research shows that some of Europe’s most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV).
-
NewsWild tomatillos coat fruits with sticky chemical arsenal, study finds
For decades, research on plant chemical defenses has focused on glandular trichomes—the tiny hair‑like structures on leaves and stems that produce and secrete protective compounds. Acyl sugars, a class of specialized metabolites widespread in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), are known to deter insects and fungal pathogens when produced in leaf ...
-
NewsThe SETI Institute and ETH Zurich join forces to search for the origin of life
ETH Zurich and the SETI Institute have announced a strategic scientific partnership investigating the origins of life on planet Earth.
-
NewsTolkien-inspired coral among the stars: New species discovered on Costa Rica’s deep-sea seamounts
Scientists exploring seamounts off the coast of Costa Rica have discovered a new coral so genetically and morphologically distinct that it required the creation of an entirely new family for its classification.
-
NewsNew coastal pathogen database maps microbial risks across global waters
A new platform allows better mapping of global coastal environments to help track pathogens and associated risk factors.
-
NewsNew class of fungi named after the King of Sweden
Researchers have discovered a completely new fungal species, which they chose to name after the King of Sweden. It is the first known representative of a new class of fungi that will be called Semicentenialomycetes.
-
NewsPlant DNA harbours virus ‘fossils’ that reflect 300 million years of evolution
New research shows that Caulimoviridae viruses have infected an extremely wide range of vascular plant hosts, from lycophytes to flowering plants, revealing the existence of 35 previously undescribed taxonomic clusters in Caulimoviridae.
-
NewsThe broader a fungus’s diet, the better it kills insects and helps plants
Entomologists have discovered that a single underlying trait—metabolic breadth, or the range of nutrients a fungus can use—links its ability to kill insects, partner with plants and thrive in different ecological roles.
-
NewsPhylogenetic analysis reveals ten new species of Inocybe mushrooms
New taxonomic and phylogenetic investigation of Inocybe mushrooms reveals ten new species, one newly discovered in the Gaoligong Mountains, China.
-
NewsOrdinary enzyme evolves into a ‘control switch’ revealing a new weak spot in tuberculosis
A protein that acts as a ‘control switch,’ preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis from accessing the energy sources it needs to survive, has been identified by researchers. The discovery points to a specific vulnerability in the bacterium that could be targeted by new TB treatments.
-
NewsCaught in the act: A gene jumps into the void
Self-splicing introns are a special group of jumping genes. It is more difficult for a gene to jump into another cell or another species. Until now, it had been assumed that, for this to happen, the jumping genes travelled as ‘hitchhiker’ in the genomes of plasmids or viruses, but researchers have made a surprising observation.
-
NewsNew biobank decodes survival secrets of extreme acid mine drainage microbes
Over 97 percent of microorganisms in acid mine drainage have never been cultured, leaving their metabolism and adaptation strategies locked as “microbial dark matter.” Now, a new culturomics‑driven resource called the Microbial Biobank of AMD (mbAMD) changes that.
-
NewsScientists just found 4 new species of underwater ‘living pink rocks’ that help to store carbon
Rhodoliths may look like small rocks on the seafloor, but they’re actually living algae that create habitats for marine life and contribute to long-term carbon storage. The deeper ‘low-light’ waters off Japan’s Tanegashima Island harbor a surprisingly distinct and diverse community, including four species completely new to science.
-
NewsWhat dental calculus can tell us about the oral microbiomes of ancient Japan
Microbe DNA from ancient dental calculus offers insights into the past oral microbiomes of the Japanese people, including the phylogeny of the periodontal disease-associated archaeon, Methanobrevibacter oralis.
-
NewsResearcher discovers single-celled organism that transforms into cannibalistic supergiant
Researchers have discovered a microscopic organism that can transform into a cannibalistic ’supergiant’ that drastically changes size, shape, and behavior, and abandons filter-feeding to hunt and consume their genetically identical relatives.