MycoWeekly Newsletter

Your Weekly Dose of Mycology Research

Selective Phosphorylation of Phenols and Benzenediols by the Kinase PsiK and Variants Thereof.

2025-06-17
Angewandte Chemie • Level 3 (4 panels)
Ahram Kim, Nicolás M. Morato, Prabir Saha, Pascal Eyimegwu, Aqeel A Niyaz, Rui Huang, R. G. Cooks, Ryan M Phelan, Jared C Lewis

Phosphorylation, a biological process influencing molecular functions, is explored in PsiK kinase from Psilocybe cubensis. PsiK selectively phosphorylates phenols and benzenediols, extending beyond its native psilocin substrate. Active site mutations enhance substrate range and site-selectivity, with DESI-MS aiding rapid analysis. This work emphasizes PsiK's potential in mild, selective phosphorylation.

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Wild wisdom meets cultivation: comparative rhizomicrobiome analysis unveils the key role of Paraburkholderia in growth promotion and disease suppression in Coptis chinensis

2025-06-21
Microbiome • Level 3 (7 panels)
Xianhe Cao, Qingjun Yuan, Chengcheng Hu, Hanxing Zhang, Xianyun Sun, Binbin Yan, Xiaojing Ma, Long Zhang, Luqi Huang, Shaojie Li, Zhenying Zhang

This study investigates the rhizomicrobiome—the microbial community surrounding plant roots—of Coptis chinensis, revealing Paraburkholderia's crucial role in growth enhancement and disease resistance. Comparative analysis shows wild varieties boast more diverse, beneficial microbes, suggesting potential biotechnological applications in cultivating disease-resistant medicinal herbs.

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A plant Lysin Motif Receptor-Like Kinase plays an ancestral function in mycorrhiza.

2025-06-11
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America • Level 3 (24 panels)
Eve Teyssier, Sabine Grat, David Landry, Mathilde Ouradou, Mélanie K. Rich, Sébastien Fort, J. Keller, Benoît Lefebvre, P. Delaux, Malick Mbengue

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is a symbiotic relationship between land plants and Glomeromycota fungi. New findings demonstrate that the liverwort Marchantia paleacea utilizes Lysin Motif Receptor-Like Kinases (LysM-RLKs), specifically MpaLYKa, to facilitate AM formation, indicating an ancestral role in symbiotic perception. Moreover, MpaLYR triggers responses to chito- and lipochito-oligosaccharides, hinting at undiscovered AM fungal signals.

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Protein kinase A signaling regulates immune evasion by shaving and concealing fungal β-1,3-glucan.

2025-06-09
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America • Level 3 (24 panels)
A. Pradhan, Olga A. Nev, Ian Leaves, Oleg A Nev, Qinxi Ma, Gillian Milne, Grace Patterson, Mihai G. Netea, L. Erwig, Rhys A. Farrer, Gordon D. Brown, Hugo A van den Berg, NA Gow, Alistair J. P. Brown

Protein kinase A (PKA) signaling is crucial in fungal immune evasion by manipulating β-1,3-glucan masking in Candida albicans. This study utilizes mathematical modeling and experiments to reveal how PKA-regulated pathways and specific glucanases contribute to dynamic glucan exposure, enhancing immune resistance. Insights may apply to various pathogenic fungi.

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