Fungal Systematics and Evolution
July 23, 2024
Alistair R. Mctaggart, K. Scarlettt, Jason C. Slot et al.
5 citations
Magic mushrooms are fungi that produce psilocybin, an entheogen with long-term cultural use and a breakthrough compound for treatment of mental health disorders. Fungal populations separated by geography are candidates for allopatric speciation, yet species connectivity typically persists because there is minimal divergence at functional parts of mating compatibility genes. We studied whether...
Current Biology
December 1, 2023
Alistair R. Mctaggart, Stephen Mclaughlin, Jason C. Slot et al.
6 citations
Fungi that are edible or fermentative were domesticated through selective cultivation of their desired traits. Domestication is often associated with inbreeding or selfing, which may fix traits other than those under selection, and causes an overall decrease in heterozygosity. A hallucinogenic mushroom, Psilocybe cubensis, was domesticated from its niche in livestock dung for production of...
November 17, 2023
Alistair R. Mctaggart, Kelly Scarlett, Jason C. Slot et al.
2 citations
Magic mushrooms are fungi that produce psilocybin, a compound with breakthrough status for treatment of mental health disorders. Wood-degrading species of Psilocybe , such as P . subaeruginosa and relatives, have high concentrations of psilocybin but are discouraged for clinical production due to a temporary paralytic side effect known as Wood Lover’s Paralysis, the cause of which is unknown....
Fungal Genetics and Biology
December 29, 2022
Alistair R. Mctaggart, Timothy Y. James, Jason C. Slot et al.
13 citations
Knowledge of breeding systems and genetic diversity is critical to select and combine desired traits that advance new cultivars in agriculture and horticulture. Mushrooms that produce psilocybin, magic mushrooms, may potentially be used in therapeutic and wellness industries, and stand to benefit from genetic improvement. We studied haploid siblings of Psilocybe subaeruginosa to resolve the...