The human body, with an average temperature of 36-37 degrees, does not allow many types of fungi to reproduce. But our world is changing. With global warming, the average temperature of the earth is rising, fungi are also increasing. accustomed to spawning at higher temperatures.
Today, there is a theoretical scenario in which fungi infect humans where the temperature reaches very high levels. at The Last of Us We see. A new study has revealed that we may not be far from this theoretical scenario.
The fungus gets used to the high temperature and increases its presence in humans:
The research, published January 20 in the renowned journal PNAS*, is a type of fungus that can be seen in humans and cause serious illness.Cryptococcus denoformansproved that “its presence in humans increased after the rising ambient temperature.
The fungus did this by evolving to survive rising temperatures. In addition, the acclimatization process both in nature and at the points where it is infected it went fast.
Details of the study:
Duke University scientists, a total of 800 generations Cryptococcus denoformans cultivated mushrooms. They also targeted “jumping genes (transposon)” changes in the genome of the fungus. These genes were DNA sequences that could move from one location to another in the genome.
In their comparison, the scientists found that the mobility in the transposons of fungi exposed to high temperatures was higher than that of other fungi. 5 times higher he saw it.
Infection with Cryptococcus fungus can be deadly even today:
The Cryptococcus fungus species hosted by scientists for their research is currently causing brain infections every year. More than 110,000 people lost their lives. (Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Source: Web Tekno
Ashley Johnson is a science writer for “Div Bracket”. With a background in the natural sciences and a passion for exploring the mysteries of the universe, she provides in-depth coverage of the latest scientific developments.
