Pathogenic fungi penetrate plant cell walls using specialized infection cells with high hydrostatic turgor.[2] Scientists have identified two enzymes that are conserved across multiple fungal species and biosynthesize a polymer called dihydroxyhexanoic acid (DHHA).[2] DHHA reduces the porosity of fungal cell walls, making them partially permeable and allowing higher turgor to accumulate.[2] This differs from melanin, which increases the strength of the cell wall.[2] DHHA-producing enzymes represent a potential target for antifungal measures to protect crops from disease.[2] The study examined pathogenic fungi such as Colletotrichum and Magnaporthe oryzae.[5] The article was published in Science, Volume 391, Number 6786, Pages 700-706.[1]