FUNGI

Plants vs. Fungi

• Plants have chlorophyll and photosynthesize, fungi do not

• Plants have roots, leaves, and stems, fungi do not

• Plant cell walls are polysaccharide cellulose, fungal cell walls are not

FungiGeneral Characteristics

• eukaryote

• absorptive heterotroph - saprobe or parasite

• cell walls made of chitin

• multicellular (except for yeast)

• reproduce with spores

Basic StructureHyphae- thin filaments making up a fungus (some called rhizoids help to anchor the fungus)

Mycelium- mass of tangled filaments (hyphae); most of these are in soil or embedded in host’s tissue

Fruiting body - reproductive structure; what you see

Spores- thick-walled; located at tips of some hyphae; for reproduction

Structure

hyphae

Fungi

Structure

mycelium

Fungi

Digestion

– extracellular digestion

• enzymes are secreted into food source

• food source is digested by enzymes

• nutrients are absorbed by fungus

Fungi

Life Cycle

• fungal spores dispersed

– Spores that reach food source – germinate

• hyphae penetrate into food

– Nutrients are absorbed

• mycelium grows from the food

– fruiting body is made

• releases spores

• Read pages 591 and 592

Fungi

Fungi are diverse and are classified based on their

reproductive structures

(how they produce spores)

Phylum Zygomycota

• common name - common molds

• ex – bread mold

• reproduction

– asexual – spores from sporangium

– sexual - zygospore forms when hyphae of different sexes fuse together; thick walled zygospore is formed

• uses – parasite, saprobe

Fungi

Phylum Basidiomycota

• common name – club fungi

• ex – mushrooms, shelf fungi, smuts, rusts, puffballs

• reproduction

– basidiospores

– basidia – club shaped structure where spores form on gills

• uses – many are edible; plant disease; poisonous (toadstools)

Fungi

smuts rusts

stinkhorn shelf fungi

Fungi

puff balls

mushrooms

Fungi

Phylum Ascomycota

• common name – sac fungi

• ex – yeast, powdery mildews, morels

• reproduction

– asexual – conidiophores (clusters of spores)

– sexual – ascospores produces in

ascus (sac like structure)

• uses – brewing, baking, research, plant diseases, some are edible

Fungi

Morels

Yeast Powdery mildews

Fungi

Phylum Deuteromycota

• common name – imperfect fungi

• ex – penicillium, ring worm, athlethe’s foot, jock itch

• reproduction

– only asexual

• uses – penecillin / antibiotics, soy sauce,

bleu cheese, citric acid

Fungi

ring worm

Fungi

Athlete’s foot

(ring worm)

Nail fungus

(ring worm)

Fungi

Phylum mycophycota

• common name – lichen

• mutualistic relationship

– fungus & green algae, neither could live alone

– algae provides food, fungus provides protection and minerals

• reproduction (skip)

• uses – food for animals, pioneer species, starts soil in some places

Fungi

lichen

Fungi

Good and Bad Things About Fungi

• The Good– Decomposers (nutrient

cycling)– Some medicines

• Penicillin

– Some food• Blue cheese• Mushrooms

– Habitat

• The Bad– Some poisonous– Some parasitic– Some disease-causing

• Athlete’s foot• Ringworm• Yeast infections/ jock

itch