Kingdom Fungi

• Characteristics similar to all Fungi:• All eukaryotic• Heterotrophic• Multicellular (except yeast)• Are not motile

Why are Fungi not Plants?

Similarities:• Do not move• Grow like plants• edible

Differences:• Lack chlorophyll

(chloroplast)• Do not perform

photosynthesis• Reproduce by spores• Fungal cell walls are

made of chitin (like crab shells); plant cell walls made of cellulose

Anatomy of Fungi

• Bodies of fungi consist of long strands called hyphae

• Hyphae weave together to form mycelium and is found underground

• some hyphae have septa which separate

• Fruiting body is the reproductive structure

Fungi Nutrition

• Heterotrophic• Fungi secrete enzymes

that attack carbon containing organisms, and digest them

• Fungi can be one of 4:– Saprophyte: digests

dead organisms– Decomposer: Feeds on

dead organic material– Predator: hunts other

organisms– Parasites: lives in or on a

host feeding off its nutrients

Fungi Reproduction

Asexual Reproduction• Occurs when one parent

produces offspring without the genes from another individual.

• Identical copy

Sexual Reproduction• Two parents contribute

genetic material to the offspring

• Genetically unique offspring

Fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually!

Four Main Types of Asexual Reproduction

1. Some undergo mitosis2. Some yeast fungi reproduce by

“budding”3. Some fungi grow from mycelium4. Most by spores

Asexual Reproduction

• Spores contain a nucleus and dehydrated cytoplasm

• Spores are released from the fruiting body– Dispersed via wind, animals, insects, water

• Cytoplasm will absorb water to rehydrate and forms hyphae

• Hyphae will twine to form mycelium

Sexual Reproduction

• Divided into 4 main groups• Similarity between groups: there are no male

or female• “+” mating type and “-” mating type• Fertilization occurs when hyphae from a plus

meet hyphae from a minus

Four Groups of Fungi

1. Primitive Fungi:• Phylum Chytridiomycota2. Sac Fungi:• Phylum Ascomycota3. Bread Molds:• Phylum Zygomycota4. Club Fungi:• Phylum Basidiomycota

Impacts of Fungi

• Recycle nutrients• Form associations with lichens• Food• Produce antibiotics (Penicillian)• Some cause disease

Lichens

• Symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi

• Lichens absorb chemical nutrients from the air • Can grow anywhere

Mycorrhizae

• Mutualistic • Between fungi and plant roots• Fungal hyphae act as a root extension which

increases the plants surface area• Increases water uptake• More disease resistant

Diseases Caused by Fungi

Dutch Elm Disease:• Kills an elm in as little as 3

weeks • Clogs its water conducting

vessels• Spread in SK by the elm

bark beetle during its breeding period

Human Diseases:• Athlete’s foot• Ring worm• Yeast infections

Beneficial Fungi

• Yeast for baking bread – Digests sugar in bread and produces CO2

– This causes the bread to rise• Adds flavors to cheese• Edible mushrooms found in the grocery stores

Penicillin

• Alexander Fleming 1928• He was trying treat syphilis• Active ingredients in mold turned out to be an

infection-fighting agent• Found that the Staphylococcus bacteria grew

everywhere except for the area surrounding the moldy contaminant