Research Keyword: population genomics

Select and Resequence Methods Enable a Genome-Wide Association Study of the Dimorphic Human Fungal Pathogen Coccidioides posadasii

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Scientists developed a new method to understand how different strains of the fungus Coccidioides posadasii, which causes Valley Fever, respond to temperature changes. By mixing multiple fungal strains together and sequencing their DNA after growing them at different temperatures, they identified a gene that helps determine whether the fungus grows better in hot (body temperature) or cool (environmental) conditions. This discovery could help explain how this dangerous fungus adapts to human infection and may lead to better treatments for Valley Fever.

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Population structure in a fungal human pathogen is potentially linked to pathogenicity

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A. flavus is a common fungal pathogen that causes serious infections in humans and damages crops. Researchers analyzed DNA from hundreds of fungal samples collected from both infected patients and environmental sources. They found that clinical isolates cluster into specific genetic groups, especially a newly identified group called population D that contains most of the disease-causing strains. This suggests that certain genetic variations make some fungal strains more likely to infect humans than others.

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Exploring Mitochondrial Heterogeneity and Evolutionary Dynamics in Thelephora ganbajun through Population Genomics

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Scientists studied the mitochondrial DNA of an edible mushroom species found only in Yunnan, China, called Thelephora ganbajun. They discovered that these mushrooms have unusual genetic diversity in their mitochondria, with multiple different versions of certain genes coexisting within individual organisms. This genetic flexibility appears to be an adaptation that helps the species survive in diverse environmental conditions and prevents the accumulation of harmful mutations.

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Moving beyond multi-triazole to multi-fungicide resistance: Broader selection of drug resistance in the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus

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Aspergillus fumigatus is a dangerous fungal infection treated with triazole drugs, but the fungus is developing resistance to multiple antifungal medications. This resistance appears to be selected in agricultural settings where fungicides are used on crops, and resistant strains then spread to humans through the air. The problem is worse because agricultural fungicides are selecting for strains resistant to multiple drug classes at once, making infections harder to treat. Addressing this issue requires reducing fungicide use in agriculture and better strategies for managing antifungal resistance.

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