Florida's Galerina indica Produces 2 Potent Toxins, a First Known in Fungi
Updated
Updated · Livescience.com · Nov 11
Florida's Galerina indica Produces 2 Potent Toxins, a First Known in Fungi
3 articles · Updated · Livescience.com · Nov 11
Summary
Current Biology described Galerina indica as the first known fungus to make both psilocybin and deadly amatoxins, after researchers analyzed tiny specimens from Florida swamps.
Chemical tests found not only the hallucinogen-amatoxin combination but also one amatoxin never before documented in mushrooms, making the find more unusual than the team expected.
Genetic comparisons suggest the mushroom gained its psilocybin machinery through horizontal gene transfer from unrelated fungi, likely about 15.5 million years ago, though researchers say two transfers as recent as 6 million years ago remain possible.
The species grows on moss-covered decaying palm logs and reaches only about 0.2 inches tall; researchers suspect its dual chemistry may deter predators, but say that defense hypothesis still needs testing.