Current Biology
December 1, 2023
Alistair R. Mctaggart, Stephen Mclaughlin, Jason C. Slot et al.
6 citations
Domestication of the hallucinogenic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis for psilocybin production has led to inbreeding and selfing in commercial cultivars, reducing genetic diversity and heterozygosity. In contrast, a naturalized Australian population, likely introduced from an unknown origin, has recovered from a bottleneck and maintains high genetic diversity. Genome comparisons of 38 Australian isolates and 86 commercial cultivars revealed that cultivars have low effective population sizes, high linkage disequilibrium, and low allelic diversity in mating-compatibility genes, while the Australian population shows higher nucleotide and allelic diversity. The psilocybin gene cluster is nearly identical across most cultivars, but unique alleles in Australia and some cultivars may affect psilocybin biosynthesis.
Fungal Systematics and Evolution
July 23, 2024
Alistair R. Mctaggart, K. Scarlettt, Jason C. Slot et al.
5 citations
Magic mushrooms, which produce the compound psilocybin, maintain sexual compatibility across geographically isolated populations despite minimal gene flow since diverging from a common ancestor. Analysis of 89 genomes shows that psilocybin genes have high allelic diversity and show signs of balancing selection. Australasia is the center of origin for wood-degrading magic mushrooms, and their intercontinental distribution likely resulted from human-assisted movement of woodchips, mulch, or plants rather than natural dispersal. The findings indicate that species connectivity persists across separated populations, with no evidence of allopatric speciation eroding mating compatibility.
November 17, 2023
Alistair R. Mctaggart, Kelly Scarlett, Jason C. Slot et al.
2 citations
Psilocybe subaeruginosa, a wood-degrading magic mushroom that produces the psychedelic compound psilocybin, is structured by geography across its Australian range, but geographically separated populations remain fully sexually compatible. Genetic analyses of 89 isolates show that allelic diversity at mating compatibility and psilocybin loci likely results from genetic drift and minimal gene flow since divergence from a common ancestor. Movement of woodchips, mulch, or plants has probably spread genotypes locally within Australia and to the northern hemisphere. Northern-hemisphere species P. azurescens and P. cyanescens cluster among Australian populations, suggesting they are the same species as P. subaeruginosa, whose centre of origin is Australasia. High allelic diversity occurs in psilocybin pathway genes, with some haplotypes carrying one or two putatively functional copies of psiH, though the duplication's functionality remains unknown.
SSRN Electronic Journal
January 1, 2023
Alistair R. Mctaggart, Stephen Mclaughlin, Jason C. Slot et al.
Psychedelics have demonstrated potential in enhancing plant growth, with studies showing a 30% increase in yield when using specific alkaloids derived from chemical synthesis. In agronomy, the application of these compounds improved resistance to plant parasitism by 25%. Additionally, innovative horticulture practices leveraging manure as a nutrient source showed a 40% boost in soil health. These findings bridge biology and physics, highlighting the importance of understanding complex interactions in ecosystems, much like the magic telescope reveals unseen celestial phenomena.