The therapeutic use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” is revolutionizing mental health care for a number of conditions, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and end-of-life care. This has spotlighted the current state of knowledge of psilocybin, including the organisms that endogenously produce it.
Ergot alkaloids derived from lysergic acid have impacted humanity as contaminants of crops and as the bases of pharmaceuticals prescribed to treat dementia, migraines, and other disorders. Several plant-associated fungi in the Clavicipitaceae produce lysergic acid derivatives, but many of these fungi are difficult to culture and manipulate. Some Aspergillus species, which may be more ideal...