Since the days of Darwin, the "tree of life" has been the preeminent metaphor for the process of evolution, reflecting the gradual branching and changing of individual species.

The discovery that a large cluster of genes appears to have jumped directly from one species of fungus to another, however, significantly strengthens the argument that a different metaphor, such as a mosaic, may be more appropriate.

"The fungi are telling us something important about evolution … something we didn't know," saidAAntonis Rokas, assistant professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt. He and research associateAJason Slotreported their discovery in the Jan. 25 issue of the journalACurrent Biology.

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