Formicitoxins: membrane-targeting antifungal peptides from carpenter ant venoms.

Fungal infections cause millions of deaths, yet clinical antifungals span only three drug classes. Koch et al. discover formicitoxins-35 venom peptides from carpenter ants-which are the first from any formicine species. Two outperform voriconazole in vitro and delay infection in vivo. Formicitoxins disrupt fungal membranes independently of existing drug targets.