Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are used by mycoviruses to spread between fungi from distinct genera.

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are used widely across nature, enabling various intercellular signals within organisms, functioning as one of many mechanisms used by pathogens (like bacteria) to laterally share drug-resistance genes, and are even used by some pathogenic fungi to deliver toxins & manipulate their host's immune system — just as hosts frequently use EVs to deliver molecules to pathogens which may limit the infection. This 2026 preprint reports the observation of EV-mediated spread of mycoviruses between fungi from distinct genera — something which would not be possible using any of the mechanisms observed prior to this study. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.03.742386v1.abstract

This 2026 preprint reports the observation of mycoviruses spreading between fungi from distinct genera via Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) — something which would not be possible using any of the mechanisms we previously knew about! https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.03.742386v1.abstract EVs are used across the tree of life. They enable intercellular signaling within organisms. They're an important way pathogenic bacteria share drug-resistance genes. They're even used by some pathogenic fungi to deliver toxins, share genes (generally transposable elements), and manipulate the host immune system! Conversely, hosts (potentially humans, like you) frequently use EVs to deliver molecules to help limit/fight the infection. They have many other potential uses, as they're generally used as a vehicle for a variety of effective chemicals. Knowing (preprint, but it's hardly a leap) that mycoviruses can spread amongst fungi via EV is useful, as it could conceivably inspire human-made treatments using encapsulated RNA.