This sensing ability makes fungi devastating to the plants we grow for food. For example, fungi that cause rust diseases in cereal crops perceive ridges on plant leaves and can grow to invade pores in the leaf surface.
However, not all fungi are harmful. Certain positive mycorrhizal and symbiotic fungi grow in the plant’s roots and aid in the growth of plants by giving nutrients.
In the human body, Fungi can also provide benefits but also cause harm.
The antibacterial compounds extracted from mold Penicillium dorsiforme signaled the start of the age of antibiotics with unimaginable improvements in human health throughout the 20th century.
However, the worldwide impact of human fungal illnesses is often a subject that’s not discussed. It’s thought that fungal infections cause more deaths per year than malaria and tuberculosis altogether.
With their invasive filaments called hyphae, certain fungal species are able to identify and enter vulnerable tissues and spread life-threatening diseases.
Invasive hyphae invade human tissues and cause spread of fungal infections. Dr David Ellis, University of Adelaide
The idea of Hyphal filaments infiltrating human tissue and seeking ways to spread the disease is a nightmare.
If fungicides are no longer effective
In the fight against harmful fungal plants and human illness will be more challenging in the coming years.
Similar to the problem of resistance to antibacterial drugs, Antifungal medications or fungicides are getting less effective because of acquired resistance.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult and more costly to create new antifungal substances that kill fungal cells and remain safe for host cells.
An innovative concept is to discover ways to kill fungal cells. For instance, ways to remove their sensing capabilities to prevent them from being able to recognize animals or plants as hosts.
This is the reason why understanding how fungi perceive and react to surfaces is a crucial research area.
A unique Olympics
In 2018, I discovered the very first Fungus Olympics, where fungi are participants, and the competitions are held in tiny mazes.
In this year’s tournament, at least 29 teams are participating, including us. We just needed the name of our team to be memorable.