Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems

Nicola T. Case; Sarah J. Gurr; Matthew C. Fisher; David S. Blehert; Charles Boone; Arturo Casadevall; Anuradha Chowdhary; Christina A. Cuomo; Cameron R. Currie; David W. Denning; Iuliana V. Ene; Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin; Aleeza C. Gerstein; Neil A.R. Gow; Asiya Gusa; Iliyan D. Iliev; Timothy Y. James; Hailing Jin; Regine Kahmann; Bruce S. Klein; James W. Kronstad; Kyla S. Ost; Kabir G. Peay; Rebecca S. Shapiro; Donald C. Sheppard; Neta Shlezinger; Jason E. Stajich; Eva H. Stukenbrock; John W. Taylor; Gerard D. Wright; Leah E. Cowen; Joseph Heitman; Julia A. Segre

doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08419-4

Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems

Nicola T. Case, Sarah J. Gurr, Matthew C. Fisher, David S. Blehert, Charles Boone, Arturo Casadevall, Anuradha Chowdhary, Christina A. Cuomo, Cameron R. Currie, David W. Denning, Iuliana V. Ene, Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin, Aleeza C. Gerstein, Neil A.R. Gow, Asiya Gusa, Iliyan D. Iliev, Timothy Y. James, Hailing Jin, Regine Kahmann, Bruce S. KleinJames W. Kronstad, Kyla S. Ost, Kabir G. Peay, Rebecca S. Shapiro, Donald C. Sheppard, Neta Shlezinger, Jason E. Stajich, Eva H. Stukenbrock, John W. Taylor, Gerard D. Wright, Leah E. Cowen^*, Joseph Heitman^*, Julia A. Segre^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Over the past billion years, the fungal kingdom has diversified to more than two million species, with over 95% still undescribed. Beyond the well-known macroscopic mushrooms and microscopic yeast, fungi are heterotrophs that feed on almost any organic carbon, recycling nutrients through the decay of dead plants and animals and sequestering carbon into Earth’s ecosystems. Human-directed applications of fungi extend from leavened bread, alcoholic beverages and biofuels to pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and psychoactive compounds. Conversely, fungal infections pose risks to ecosystems ranging from crops to wildlife to humans; these risks are driven, in part, by human and animal movement, and might be accelerating with climate change. Genomic surveys are expanding our knowledge of the true biodiversity of the fungal kingdom, and genome-editing tools make it possible to imagine harnessing these organisms to fuel the bioeconomy. Here, we examine the fungal threats facing civilization and investigate opportunities to use fungi to combat these threats.

Original language	English
Article number	321
Pages (from-to)	49-57
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nature
Volume	638
Issue number	8049
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08419-4
State	Published - 6 Feb 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2025.

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Case, N. T., Gurr, S. J., Fisher, M. C., Blehert, D. S., Boone, C., Casadevall, A., Chowdhary, A., Cuomo, C. A., Currie, C. R., Denning, D. W., Ene, I. V., Fritz-Laylin, L. K., Gerstein, A. C., Gow, N. A. R., Gusa, A., Iliev, I. D., James, T. Y., Jin, H., Kahmann, R., ... Segre, J. A. (2025). Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems. Nature, 638(8049), 49-57. Article 321. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08419-4

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title = "Fungal impacts on Earth{\textquoteright}s ecosystems",

abstract = "Over the past billion years, the fungal kingdom has diversified to more than two million species, with over 95% still undescribed. Beyond the well-known macroscopic mushrooms and microscopic yeast, fungi are heterotrophs that feed on almost any organic carbon, recycling nutrients through the decay of dead plants and animals and sequestering carbon into Earth{\textquoteright}s ecosystems. Human-directed applications of fungi extend from leavened bread, alcoholic beverages and biofuels to pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and psychoactive compounds. Conversely, fungal infections pose risks to ecosystems ranging from crops to wildlife to humans; these risks are driven, in part, by human and animal movement, and might be accelerating with climate change. Genomic surveys are expanding our knowledge of the true biodiversity of the fungal kingdom, and genome-editing tools make it possible to imagine harnessing these organisms to fuel the bioeconomy. Here, we examine the fungal threats facing civilization and investigate opportunities to use fungi to combat these threats.",

author = "Case, {Nicola T.} and Gurr, {Sarah J.} and Fisher, {Matthew C.} and Blehert, {David S.} and Charles Boone and Arturo Casadevall and Anuradha Chowdhary and Cuomo, {Christina A.} and Currie, {Cameron R.} and Denning, {David W.} and Ene, {Iuliana V.} and Fritz-Laylin, {Lillian K.} and Gerstein, {Aleeza C.} and Gow, {Neil A.R.} and Asiya Gusa and Iliev, {Iliyan D.} and James, {Timothy Y.} and Hailing Jin and Regine Kahmann and Klein, {Bruce S.} and Kronstad, {James W.} and Ost, {Kyla S.} and Peay, {Kabir G.} and Shapiro, {Rebecca S.} and Sheppard, {Donald C.} and Neta Shlezinger and Stajich, {Jason E.} and Stukenbrock, {Eva H.} and Taylor, {John W.} and Wright, {Gerard D.} and Cowen, {Leah E.} and Joseph Heitman and Segre, {Julia A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-024-08419-4",

language = "אנגלית",

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pages = "49--57",

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Case, NT, Gurr, SJ, Fisher, MC, Blehert, DS, Boone, C, Casadevall, A, Chowdhary, A, Cuomo, CA, Currie, CR, Denning, DW, Ene, IV, Fritz-Laylin, LK, Gerstein, AC, Gow, NAR, Gusa, A, Iliev, ID, James, TY, Jin, H, Kahmann, R, Klein, BS, Kronstad, JW, Ost, KS, Peay, KG, Shapiro, RS, Sheppard, DC, Shlezinger, N, Stajich, JE, Stukenbrock, EH, Taylor, JW, Wright, GD, Cowen, LE, Heitman, J & Segre, JA 2025, 'Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems', Nature, vol. 638, no. 8049, 321, pp. 49-57. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08419-4

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AU - Case, Nicola T.

AU - Gurr, Sarah J.

AU - Fisher, Matthew C.

AU - Blehert, David S.

AU - Boone, Charles

AU - Casadevall, Arturo

AU - Chowdhary, Anuradha

AU - Cuomo, Christina A.

AU - Currie, Cameron R.

AU - Denning, David W.

AU - Ene, Iuliana V.

AU - Fritz-Laylin, Lillian K.

AU - Gerstein, Aleeza C.

AU - Gow, Neil A.R.

AU - Gusa, Asiya

AU - Iliev, Iliyan D.

AU - James, Timothy Y.

AU - Jin, Hailing

AU - Kahmann, Regine

AU - Klein, Bruce S.

AU - Kronstad, James W.

AU - Ost, Kyla S.

AU - Peay, Kabir G.

AU - Shapiro, Rebecca S.

AU - Sheppard, Donald C.

AU - Shlezinger, Neta

AU - Stajich, Jason E.

AU - Stukenbrock, Eva H.

AU - Taylor, John W.

AU - Wright, Gerard D.

AU - Cowen, Leah E.

AU - Heitman, Joseph

AU - Segre, Julia A.

PY - 2025/2/6

Y1 - 2025/2/6

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Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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