Fungal pathogens and symbionts: Living off the fat of the land.

This article discusses the loss of de novo fatty acid biosynthetic capacity in various fungal species that have developed obligate relationships with their hosts. Some fungi have expanded their metabolic pathways to enhance their fitness in specific niches, while others have downsized their core metabolic network. Certain fungal pathogens, such as Pneumocystis, Malassezia, Microsporidia, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), have lost the ability to synthesize fatty acids and instead scavenge them from their hosts. The article explores the mechanisms by which these fungi assimilate fatty acids and highlights the challenges in studying and culturing these species. [Extracted from the article]