Fungi

1
Fungi

• Starr/Taggarts
• Biology
• The Unity and Diversity of Life, 9e
• Chapter 24

2
Key Concepts

• Fungi are heterotrophs
• Fungi and bacteria are the decomposers of the
  biosphere
• Fungal enzymes are secreted outside their body
  which digest food
• Most fungi are multicelled
• Fungal spores develop from hyphae
• Many fungi are symbionts with other organisms

3
Characteristics of Fungi

• Premier decomposers
• Heterotrophs
• Extracellular digestion
• Absorption of products
• Saprophytic
• Parasitic

4
Major Groups of Fungi

• Zygomycota
• Ascomycota
• Basidiomycota
• Life Cycles
• Asexually most often
• Spores
• Mycelium
• Hyphae
• Chitin

5
Generalized Life Cycle for Club Fungus
6
Asexual Reproduction in Rhizopus stolonifer
7
Spores and More Spores

• Sexual or asexual
• Temperature dependent
• Moisture dependent
• Zygosporangium
• Basidiospores
• Ascospores

Sarcoscypha coccinia
8
Other Sac Fungi

• Molds
• Penicillium
• Penicillin
• Camembert and Roquefort cheeses
• Aspergillus
• Soy sauce
• Soft drinks - citric acid

• Yeasts
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• Bread, wine and beer
• Candida albicans
• Infections

9
Beneficial Associations Between Fungi and Plants

• Symbiosis
• Mutualism
• Lichen
• Fungus and photosynthetic organism

10
Lichens
11
Other Symbiotic Relationships

• Mycorrhiza
• Young tree roots
• Mutualistic
• Fungi as clues to the environment
• Decline correlate with rise in air pollution
• Fungi and disease
• Histoplasmosis
• Poisonings
• Skin infections
• Pneumocystis carinii

12
In Conclusion

• Fungi are heterotrophs and major decomposers
• Most fungi are multicellular
• The main groups of fungi are the Zygomycetes, the
  Ascomycetes, and the Basidiomycetes
• Fungi are classified by the type of spores they
  produce

13
In Conclusion

• Most fungi can produce sexual and asexual spores
• Lichen are mutualistic associations between a
  fungus and a photosynthetic organism
• developed by M. Roig