Ecology & Biology

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Study

Two Mushroom Groups Evolved Separate Ways to Make Psilocybin

Two Mushroom Groups Evolved Separate Ways to Make Psilocybin

Psilocybin mushrooms

What they found

Psilocybe and Inocybe mushrooms evolved entirely different enzymes to produce psilocybin.

Psilocybe and Inocybe mushrooms evolved entirely different enzymes to produce psilocybin.

How solid is it?

Lab dish

Lab dish

Lab – genetic analysis

Lab – genetic analysis

Evidence ladder: Lab dish → Animal → Early human → Strong human. Reviews summarize earlier research.

At a glance

Latin name

Psilocybe, Inocybe

Psilocybe, Inocybe

Compound

psilocybin

psilocybin

Published in

Covered in Shroom Scan

Section

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

As it ran in Shroom Scan

Parallel Evolution

Parallel Evolution

New research shows that Psilocybe and Inocybe mushrooms evolved entirely different enzymes to make psilocybin—nature’s way of proving there’s more than one path to a mind-altering compound. Instead of one inherited mechanism, these lineages took separate routes to the same molecule, revealing convergent evolution at its most psychedelic. The findings suggest psilocybin’s role in nature may be more widespread and meaningful than we thought.

New research shows that Psilocybe and Inocybe mushrooms evolved entirely different enzymes to make psilocybin—nature’s way of proving there’s more than one path to a mind-altering compound. Instead of one inherited mechanism, these lineages took separate routes to the same molecule, revealing convergent evolution at its most psychedelic. The findings suggest psilocybin’s role in nature may be more widespread and meaningful than we thought.

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