If you have played video games Last of Us, Or anyone who’s seen the recent TV adaptation will be familiar with the idea that a mutated fungus infects most of humanity – and now there’s some science to match that science fiction.
We are not on the brink of the apocalypse of society as depicted in Last of Usresearchers have demonstrated how pathogenic bacteria have evolved in a warming climate to better withstand internal body heat.
Given that heat plays most of the role in protecting us from these threats, it is likely that these pathogens will become a greater danger in terms of disease as they adapt to the planet. consistently hot.
“These aren’t infections in the contagious sense. You don’t pass fungi to each other.” Asiya Gusa, a molecular geneticist and microbiologist, said: Graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina.
“We are constantly inhaling fungal spores and our immune system is ready to fight them.”
The team took a closer look at pathogens called pathogens Cryptococcus deneoformansRaise the temperature from 30 °C (86 °F) to 37 °C (98.6 °F) under laboratory conditions. These heat stresses significantly altered the genetic landscape of fungi.
Specifically, there was more movement among ‘jumping genes’, transposable elements in DNA that can change their position in the genome. In fact, it moved five times as much at the higher temperature. Although these transposable elements do not make proteins directly, they can affect the function of other genes.
In particular, three jumping genes were tracked: T1, Tcn12 and Cnl1. The changes they made within genes and genomes suggested that they might be altering the way genes were encoded, possibly introducing drug resistance. It is not yet entirely clear what the end result of the activity will be.
Further studies were performed in mice and transposable element activity was even more pronounced. Researchers believe that when actually in an animal, its immune response and other processes may be causing the increased movement.
“We saw evidence that all three transposable elements were recruited in the fungal genome within just 10 days of mouse infection.” Gusa says.
“These mobile elements may contribute to adaptation to the environment and during infection. This could happen even faster, as heat stress accelerates the number of mutations that occur.”
It’s not yet time to build underground bunkers. This research is still in its early stages and does not involve real humans.In addition, fungal spores are commonly virusTherefore, preventative measures such as face masks are more effective.
Research shows that increased heat causes faster genetic changes. C. deneoformansThe bottom line is that as temperatures rise around the world, dangerous fungi may be evolving faster than we thought.
The next step is to study the pathogen in people who have recurrent fungal infections. already kill Hundreds of thousands of people get infected each year, but right now, only those with severely weakened immune systems are at risk. acknowledging similar themes Last of Us.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about – except for the zombie part!” Gusa says“Fungal diseases are on the rise, largely because more people have weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions.”
This research PNAS.
