Mushrooms' DNA Is Closer to Animals Than Plants
Fungi, including mushrooms, share a more recent common ancestor with animals than with plants. They're actually more closely related to us than to the plants they often grow on.
About this fact
Despite their plant-like appearance, mushrooms and other fungi are actually more closely related to animals than to plants. Genetic studies have revealed that fungi and animals share a more recent common ancestor than either does with plants. This relationship is part of a group called Opisthokonta, which includes animals, fungi, and some single-celled organisms. Like animals, fungi cannot produce their own food through photosynthesis and must obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms. They also have cell walls made of chitin (the same material in insect exoskeletons), while plants have cellulose cell walls. Fungi digest their food externally by secreting enzymes and then absorbing the nutrients, similar to how animals digest food. This close relationship explains why some fungal infections can be harder to treat than bacterial infections - antifungal drugs must target processes that are different from those in human cells.