Life | Invitation to Read Hot Papers in Fungus Research

Fungi are among the most successful eukaryotes on Earth. They can shift across different growth forms according to the variation of physic or chemical conditions, adapting and exploiting virtually all environments, including extremes normally precluded among most life forms. Due to their tremendous metabolic possibilities, they may also adopt different lifestyles, acting as saprotrophs, symbionts, or parasites.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to all the researchers who have contributed to fungus research. In particular, we would like to highlight multiple research projects in this field, covering spanning biodiversity, community composition and interactions, fungal evolution, pathogenicity, ecology, biotechnology, and beyond.

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

1. “A New Record for Microbial Perchlorate Tolerance: Fungal Growth in NaClO₄ Brines and its Implications for Putative Life on Mars”
by Heinz, J.; Krahn, T.; Schulze-Makuch, D.
Life 2020, 10(5), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/life10050053
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/5/53

2. “Endolithic Fungal Species Markers for Harshest Conditions in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica”
by Coleine, C.; Pombubpa, N.; Zucconi, L.; Onofri, S.; Stajich, J. E.; Selbmann, L.
Life 2020, 10(2), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/life10020013
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/2/13

3. “The Mycobiota of the Deep Sea: What Omics Can Offer”
by Vargas-Gastélum, L.; Riquelme, M.
Life 2020, 10(11), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/life10110292
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/11/292

4. “Iron Ion Particle Radiation Resistance of Dried Colonies of Cryomyces antarcticus Embedded in Martian Regolith Analogues”
by Aureli, L.; Pacelli, C.; Cassaro, A.; Fujimori, A.; Moeller, R.; Onofri, S.
Life 2020, 10(12), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/life10120306
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/12/306

5. “An Overview of Genomics, Phylogenomics and Proteomics Approaches in Ascomycota”
by Muggia, L.; Ametrano, C. G.; Sterflinger, K.; Tesei, D.
Life 2020, 10(12), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/life10120356
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/12/356

6. “Shed Light in the DaRk LineagES of the Fungal Tree of Life—STRES”
by Selbmann, L.; Benkő, Z.; Coleine, C.; de Hoog, S.; Donati, C.; Druzhinina, I.; Emri, T.; Ettinger, C. L.; Gladfelter, A. S.; Gorbushina, A. A.; et.al.
Life 2020, 10(12), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/life10120362
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/10/12/362

7. “A Taxonomic Appraisal of Bambusicolous Fungi in Occultibambusaceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes) with New Collections from Yunnan Province, China”
by Jiang, H.-B.; Phookamsak, R.; Hyde, K. D.; Mortimer, P. E.; Xu, J.-C.; Kakumyan, P.; Karunarathna, S. C.; Kumla, J.
Life 2021, 11(9), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/life11090932
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/9/932

8. “Analysis of Soil Fungal and Bacterial Communities in Tianchi Volcano Crater, Northeast China”
by Wang, X.; Pecoraro, L.
Life 2021, 11(4), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/life11040280
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/4/280

9. “Frenemies: Interactions between Rhizospheric Bacteria and Fungi from Metalliferous Soils”
by Rosatto, S.; Cecchi, G.; Roccotiello, E.; Di Piazza, S.; Di Cesare, A.; Mariotti, M. G.; Vezzulli, L.; Zotti, M.
Life 2021, 11(4), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/life11040273
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/4/273

10. “Proteomic Insight into the Symbiotic Relationship of Pinus massoniana Lamb and Suillus luteus towards Developing Al-Stress Resistance”
by Liu, H.; Chen, H.; Ding, G.; Li, K.; Wang, Y.
Life 2021, 11(2), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/life11020177
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/2/177