Phylogenomics of the psychoactive mushroom genusPsilocybeand evolution of the psilocybin biosynthetic gene cluster
bioRxiv – December 15, 2022
Source: PPR
Summary
The genes enabling certain mushrooms to produce psilocybin may have spread through an unusual evolutionary shortcut. Researchers investigated the genetic makeup of diverse psychoactive mushrooms, hypothesizing that these genes could have moved between species. Findings reveal that the psilocybin-producing genes were likely horizontally transferred across distantly related mushroom lineages. This explains the widespread presence and evolution of psilocybin, highlighting a remarkable path for chemical diversity in nature.
Abstract
Phylogenomics of the psychoactive mushroom genusPsilocybeand evolution of the psilocybin biosynthetic gene cluster