Hailing Jin and research team observed how the plants send extracellular vesicles that are filled with RNA and the mRNA molecules that can attack mold cells. According to Jin, “These mRNAs can encode some proteins that end up in the mitochondria of the mold cells. Those are the powerhouses of any cells because they generate energy,” said Jin. “Once inside, they mess up the structure and function of the fungal mitochondria, which inhibits the growth and virulence of the fungus.”