An international research team led by Konrad Meister from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, part of Mischa Bonn’s department, has identified a new class of ice crystal-forming proteins in lower fungi. The study shows that fungi of the family Mortierellaceae use a genetic blueprint that originates from bacteria. Unlike bacteria, however, the fungi use the gene to form water-soluble proteins. This structural adaptation explains the high stability and efficiency of ice formation by the fungi. According to the researchers, the fungal proteins are promising for applications in the field of freezing technology.