Mycology Study of FUNGI

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Mycology Study of FUNGI

• Mushrooms, Toadstools, Boletes, Yeasts, Molds,
  Mildews, Puffballs, Stinkhorns.

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FUNGI

• Huge group of very successful organisms found
  in virtually all ecological niches on Earth.
• Largest single organism on Earth is a fungus.
• Traditionally, fungi (particularly mushrooms)
  have been studied by botanists, however, they are
  achlorophyllous.

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Characteristics of Fungi

• Heterotrophic (Saprobic or Parasitic)
• Extracellular digestion
• Enzymes break down macromolecules ? dimers
  monomers.
• These digestion products are then absorbed.
• An adaptive morphology allows for sufficient
  surrounding of food and sufficient energy intake
  to counteract the energy spent in digestive
  enzyme production.

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Characteristics of Fungi

• Morphological
• Most are filamentous (adaptive morphology for
  increased surface area).
• Vegetative body called a Mycelium (pl. Mycelia).
• A Mycelium is composed of numerous Hyphae (sing.
  Hypha), each 1 cell wide.

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Characteristics of Fungi

• The vegetative (somatic) body of a fungus is the
  Mycelium the absorptive, adult, feeding stage.

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Characteristics of Fungi
Cell Wall
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Characteristics of Fungi

• Rhizomorphs root like masses of hyphae.

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Characteristics of Fungi

• A fraction of the vegetative mycelium is devoted
  to reproduction.
• Specialized hyphae bearing Spores.
• Spores are tiny propagules.

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Spores

• Dispersal
• Protection
• Survival
• Reproduction.
• Asexually-produced spores are disseminative.
• Sexually-produced spores are reproductive AND
  disseminative.

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Asexually-Produced Spores

• Spores are borne on hyphal tips called Conidia
  (sing. Conidium) or in Sporangia (sing.
  Sporangium).
• Produced by Mitosis Cell Division.
• Clones (genetically-identical progeny) are
  produced.

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Sexually-Produced Spores

• Spores are borne on unique and specialized
  structures, depending on the type of fungus.
• Produced by Meiosis Cell Division.
• Genetically-unique progeny are produced.
• Sexual Reproduction combined genetic
  contributions of two parents.
• Zygotic Life cycle.

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Life Cycles
HAPLOID STAGE (1N)
MEIOSIS
FERTILIZATION
DIPLOID STAGE (2N)
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Zygotic Life Cycle

• Meiosis produces spores (mini-zygotes).

1N
(Gametes here produced by Mitosis)
(Spores)
2N
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Classification of Fungi
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Classification of Fungi

• Fungi arebroken into 4 lineages (therefore also 4
  Phyla)
• Phylum Chytridiomycota
• Phylum Zygomycota
• Phylum Ascomycota
• Phylum Basidiomycota
• Phylum Deuteromycota is an artificial group
  representing fungi that do not or have yet to
  exhibit a sexual stage (meiosis syngamy).

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Phylogeny of Fungi
Morphological Character state changes
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Chytridiomycota (chytrids)

• Swimming Zoospores.

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FUNGI
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Zygomycota

• The Bread Molds

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Zygomycota

• Zygospore Formation

(Suspensors)
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Zygomycete Life Cycle
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FUNGI
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Ascomycota
Morchella esculenta

• The Sac Fungi

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Ascomycota

• Ascus (sac) is where the sexual spores
  (Ascospores) are borne.
• 8 Ascospores are typical in each ascus.

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Ascomycete Life Cycle
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FUNGI
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Basidiomycota

• The Club Fungi

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Basidiomycota

• Sexual Basidiospores borne on a Basidium.
• 4 spores per Basidium.

Basidiospores
Basidium
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Basidiomycete Life Cycle
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Studying FUNGI

• Both Macroscopic and Microscopic organisms.
• Cultures
• 1-member, 2-member
• Growth Media (sing. Medium)
• Agar, Broth
• Petri Plates or Culture Tubes.

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THINK LIKE A FUNGUS

• How do I get food?
• How can I compete?
• How can I protect myself?
• What associations with other organisms are
  important?