Are there overlaps between virulence factors of fungal pathogens of arthropods, plants, and vertebrates?
Fungi inhabit a diverse array of environments as saprophytes, endophytes, and pathogens, each niche presumably requiring unique strategies for adaptation and competition. Survival strategies vary depending on the environment and the degree of competition with other organisms. However, fungi in diverse environments share many of the same developmental characteristics and, in some cases it has been shown, a highly similar complement of genes, whether they are growing in soil, in plants, or in animals. Fungal pathogens of plants, arthropods, and vertebrates may use similar developmental mechanisms and degradative processes to derive and utilize nutrients from distinct sources. Parallels between the methods used to colonize and alter host physiology are evident in both plant and animal fungal pathogens. Additionally, common signalling cascades regulating virulence have been revealed. However, there appear to be few universal fungal virulence factors described to date, perhaps in part becau
