Bio-Tech: Gengineered Fungi

Bio-Tech: Gengineered Fungi

Fungi are not plants, but form a separate kingdom of their own. For the most part they are tiny threads that only become apparent when they release reproductive spores from fruiting bodies, which are known as mushrooms in some species. They break down organic materials into simpler molecules, providing the decomposition part of the ecological cycle. While some fungi digest dead matter, others parasitize living organisms. These properties can be put to use by gengineers. The cost of engineered fungi can vary greatly, so no specific costs are given. See Purchasing Microorganisms for general guidelines.

Drug Factory Fungi (TL7)

Several species of fungi produce hallucinogenic and other psychoactive compounds, or natural antibiotics like penicillin. Engineering these for improved production and new compounds is an important area of research.

Bioluminescent Fungi (TL8)

Several species of fungi have natural bioluminescence. The genes that produce luminescent chemicals can be spliced into other organisms to make them glow. Alternatively, the fungi can be modified to grow where required, even into symbiotic forms that generate patches of light on the bodies of animals. At TL8 this is unimpressive as the glow is dim, restricting it to commercial applications, but by TL9 it should be bright enough to be popular with customers.

Food Fungi (TL8)

Many consider mushrooms a delicacy, but some species are rare and difficult to cultivate. Cultured black truffles and matsutake will taste the same but be much cheaper. At the other end of the scale, unicellular yeast-like fungi could be engineered into an easy-to-grow complete food source for starship crews or overpopulated billions in future dystopias. It might be made to taste good, or it might just taste like yeast.

Bioweapon Fungi (TL9)

Fungi secrete enzymes to dissolve organic matter. Some are so powerful they can dissolve plastics, ceramics, and even metal. Gengineered fungi can be targeted to attack particular materials, in order to recycle waste products that do not decay naturally, or as an offensive weapon against enemy materiel. Mechanical and electronic devices don't operate too well when a fungus is dissolving the components from the inside. The fungal spores can be spread in the same ways as anti-materiel bacteria.

Simple molds can also be bad enough to make property worthless. Boosting a mold's ability to survive drier climates and resist removal attempts will make it a viable long-term weapon against buildings and vehicles.

Parasitic Fungi (TL9)

Another offensive use of fungi is to enhance parasitic traits and use them as biological weapons. Fungi are perfect for attacking and digesting living plants, but can also cause problems for animals, creating annoying, disfiguring, or fatal infections. Spores of a herbicidal fungus released on an enemy's crops is more efficient than chemical spraying, as the parasite will reproduce by itself and spread to infect other areas – although the user must be sure to have crops resistant to his own fungus.

Fungal Infonets (TL10)

Transgenic sequences can grow neural tissue within fungal threads, allowing them to act as conduits for electrochemical signals. This means fungi can build "wires" and "circuits" on and within any medium in which they can grow – which is just about anywhere. By planting such a fungus, one can grow circuitry in places where building it by more intrusive means would be too difficult or too noticeable. Special nodes in the fungus allow connections to be made to conventional electrical circuitry, or other organisms that can send and interpret signals through the fungal net.

Fungal Surveillance Net (TL11)

With their ability to grow on anything and their tendency to be ignored or overlooked by people, fungal infonets make ideal infiltration organisms. Further gengineered enhancements can add organs sensitive to light, sound, and chemical stimuli, turning them into organic surveillance systems that can be installed simply by spreading spores.

Smart Fungi (TL11)

By concentrating neural tissue into distributed processing nodes, a fungal infonet can be modified to allow a more coordinated reaction of the entire organism to local stimuli. Although a far cry from true intelligence, this gives the fungus rudimentary problem-solving capability and allows it to seek particular targets to grow into and digest. When combined with acidic or parasitic properties, this produces an insidious biological weapon.

Intelligent Fungi (TL12)

Further enhancements give fungi neural processing centers and problem solving capabilities similar to sponge computers. Although sponge computers are likely to be more generally useful, fungal versions may find use in applications where other fungal properties are desirable. They can grow almost anywhere there is sufficient moisture and organic material, and can be combined with a surveillance role, for example.