From fundamental biology to the search for innovation: The story of fungal extracellular vesicles

Fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) have attracted increased attention in recent years. Originated from a serendipitous discovery, the initial observation of fungal EVs resulted in a set of data repetitively rejected by several scientific journals, which raised questions about their authenticity. However, after the most fundamental experimental issues related to their observation were addressed, fungal EVs were characterized in dozens of species and became an emerging field. In this essay, we will discuss these fundamental findings and the potential of fungal EVs for the development of vaccines and antifungals.