RNA interference – mycolab.ai

Function of Transcription Factors PoMYB12, PoMYB15, and PoMYB20 in Heat Stress and Growth of Pleurotus ostreatus

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This research explores how specific genes in oyster mushrooms help them survive and grow better when exposed to heat stress. Scientists created mutant mushroom strains by either increasing or decreasing expression of three genes called PoMYB12, PoMYB15, and PoMYB20. They found that boosting PoMYB12 and PoMYB20 made mushrooms more heat-resistant and grow faster, while reducing PoMYB15 had similar beneficial effects. These discoveries could help farmers grow better oyster mushrooms during hot summer months when heat damage is a major problem.

Fatty acid synthesis: A critical factor determining mycelial growth rate in Pleurotus tuoliensis

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Researchers studied why Pleurotus tuoliensis mushrooms grow slowly compared to other oyster mushroom species. They found that a key enzyme called acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which controls fat production in the mushroom cells, directly affects how fast the mycelium grows. By increasing this enzyme’s activity and providing nutrients that help fat-making, scientists were able to boost mycelial growth rates significantly, offering new strategies to improve commercial cultivation of these delicious mushrooms.

High-Yield-Related Genes Participate in Mushroom Production

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Scientists have identified specific genes that control how mushrooms grow and produce fruit bodies. By using advanced gene-editing technology like CRISPR-Cas9, researchers can now increase mushroom yields by 20-65%, offering a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional breeding methods. This breakthrough could help meet the world’s growing demand for mushrooms while making farming more sustainable and economical for growers globally.

Fungal Argonaute proteins act in bidirectional cross-kingdom RNA interference during plant infection

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Scientists discovered that fungi and plants exchange genetic instructions called small RNAs to control each other during infection. A fungal pathogen called Botrytis cinerea uses special proteins called Argonautes to deliver these instructions into plant cells, which helps the fungus cause disease. Plants also send back their own genetic instructions to defend themselves. Understanding these molecular communications could lead to new ways to protect crops from fungal diseases.

Tracking of Tobacco Mosaic Virus in Taxonomically Different Plant Fungi

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Scientists discovered that a common plant virus (tobacco mosaic virus) can infect and multiply inside certain fungal pathogens that harm crops. When the virus enters these fungi, the fungi activate their natural defense system to fight back. Interestingly, the virus doesn’t make the fungi more or less dangerous to plants. This discovery opens new possibilities for controlling harmful fungi using viruses as biological tools.

Fungus-targeted nanomicelles enable microRNA delivery for suppression of virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus as a novel antifungal approach

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Researchers developed a new way to fight dangerous fungal infections caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, which increasingly resists standard antifungal drugs. They used tiny molecules called microRNAs packaged in even tinier delivery vehicles to turn off genes that help the fungus survive. When these microRNAs were introduced, the fungus became much more vulnerable to the body’s immune system and to stress. This novel approach could eventually help treat infections that are otherwise difficult to cure.

Tracking of Tobacco Mosaic Virus in Taxonomically Different Plant Fungi

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Scientists discovered that tobacco mosaic virus can infect and replicate inside some fungal pathogens like Botrytis and Verticillium, which are major crop diseases. Interestingly, when viruses infect these fungi, the fungi activate their own defense mechanisms to fight the virus, yet still maintain their ability to cause disease in plants. This discovery opens new possibilities for using plant viruses as tools to study and potentially control harmful fungal pathogens on crops.

Argonaute1-Dependent LtmilR2 Negatively Regulated Infection of Lasiodiplodia theobromae by Targeting a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor in RAS Signalling

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Scientists discovered a tiny regulatory RNA molecule called LtmilR2 in a fungus that causes grape disease. This molecule naturally suppresses the fungus’s ability to cause infection by shutting down a gene called LtRASGEF. When researchers delivered LtmilR2 using specially designed nanoparticles, it successfully stopped the fungus from growing. This discovery could lead to a new type of biological fungicide for protecting grapes and vineyards.

Biocontrol of Root-Knot Nematodes via siRNA-Loaded Extracellular Vesicles From a Nematophagous Fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora

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Scientists developed a new way to control harmful root-knot nematodes that damage crops by using natural containers called extracellular vesicles from a fungus. These vesicles carry small RNA molecules that silence genes essential for nematode survival and reproduction. When tested on tomato plants, this fungal-based treatment reduced nematode damage by about 60% while promoting healthier plant growth, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides.

A non-classical PUF family protein in oomycetes functions as a pre-rRNA processing regulator and a target for RNAi-based disease control

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Scientists discovered a critical protein called Puf4 in harmful water mold pathogens (oomycetes) that damage crops. When they removed this protein from the pathogens, the organisms grew poorly and couldn’t infect plants effectively. They also developed a new method to deliver therapeutic RNA directly through zoospores (swimming spores) that successfully reduced disease in infected plants, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional pesticides.

Research Keyword: RNA interference