Kingdom: Fungi

Mycology Myco- = fungus -ology= study of A Mushroom walks into a bar and the bartender says, “We don't serve your kind here!” and the mushroom says, “Why? I'm a Fungi!” Mycology Myco- = fungus -ology= study of

General Characteristics of Fungi: Eukaryotic Decomposers – the best recyclers around No chlorophyll – non photosynthetic Most multicellular (hyphae) – some unicellular (yeast) Non-motile Cell walls made of chitin (kite-in) instead of cellulose like that of a plant Are more related to animals than plant kingdom Lack true roots, leaves and stems Absorptive heterotrophs -Digest food externally and then absorb it

Lack of chlorophyll affects the lifestyle of fungi… Not dependant on light Can occupy dark habitats Can grow in any direction Can invade the interior of a substrate with absorptive filaments

Structures Bread mold

Hyphae Body of fungus made of tiny filaments or tubes called hyphae . Contain cytoplasm and nuclei (more than 1) Each hyphae is one continuous cell Cell wall made of chitin A tangled mess of hyphae is called mycelium Rhizoids are root-like parts of fungi that anchor them to the substrate (whatever they are bonding to)

Mycelium increase the surface area of the fungi to absorb more nutrients. Hypha Mycelium Figure 17.15B, C

CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI: Fungi can be classified into 5 groups Fungi evolved from an aquatic, flagellated ancestor Chytrids Zygomycetes (zygote fungi) Glomeromycetes (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) Ascomycetes (sac fungi) Basidiomycetes (club fungi) Figure 17.17A

Chytrids

Glomeromycetes (Mycorrhizae fungi)

Mycorrhizae are mutually beneficial associations of plant roots and fungi Common and may have enabled plants to colonize land Help create an extending network for the plant to absorb more nutrients and water A mycorrhizal fungus enveloping roots of a red pine tree

Ascomycetes (Sac fungi) Truffles and yeast Figure 17.17D

Basidiomycetes (club fungi) Puff ball mushroom Figure 17.17E

Zygomycetes (zygote fungi) Bread Mold Figure 17.17B, C

Fungus Reproduction: Fungi produce spores in both asexual and sexual life cycles Mushrooms let out spores from their pores that are carried by the wind to meet other spores and become a new fungi Yeast are unicellular and divide into new fungal cells (mitosis) In some fungi, fusion of haploid hypha produces a heterokaryotic stage containing nuclei from two parents (fusion of cytoplasm) After the nuclei fuse, meiosis produces haploid spores (can grow in fungi and are the asexual part of the life cycle)

General Fungi Reproduction Cycles: Video clip of reproduction Key Haploid (n) Heterokaryotic (n + n) (unfused nuclei) Diploid (2n) Heterokaryotic stage Fusion of nuclei Fusion of cytoplasm Sexual reproduction Meiosis Zygote (2n) Spore-producing structures Germination Asexual Spores (n) Mycelium Spores (n) Figure 17.16

But fungal groups do differ in their life cycles and reproductive structures Key Haploid (n) Heterokaryotic (n + n) Diploid (2n) Fusion of nuclei Meiosis Mycelia of different mating types Cells fuse Young zygosporangium (heterokaryotic) Zygosporangium (n + n) Sporangium Spores (n) 1 2 3 4 Figure 17.18A

Reproduction in Basidiomycetes: Key Haploid (n) Heterokaryotic (n + n) Diploid (2n) Fusion of nuclei Meiosis Basidia Spores (n) Mushroom 1 Fusion of two hyphae of different mating types 2 Growth of heterokaryotic mycelium 3 Diploid nuclei 4 Spores released 5 Germination of spores and growth of mycelia Figure 17.18B

Basidiomycota (typical mushroom)

ASCOMYCOTA

FUNGI NUTRITION: Fungi absorb food after digesting it outside their bodies Fungi are heterotrophic eukaryotes That digest their food externally and absorb the nutrients Figure 17.15A

FUNGI NUTRITION: Fungi use digestive enzymes to break down their food then absorb the liquid. (acquire nutrients such as nitrogen) Examples: trap nematodes (little worms who feed on fungi) and paralyze them with special juices then absorbs and digests the nitrogen out of them.

3 Modes of Nutrition in Fungi: Saprophytes Parasites Mutualists (symbionts)

Saprophytes Use non-living organic material Important scavengers in ecosystems Important in recycling carbon, nitrogen and essential mineral nutrients

Parasites Use organic material from living organisms, harming them in some way Range of hosts from single-celled diatoms to fungi, to plants to animals to humans

Mutualists (symbionts) Fungi that have a mutually beneficial relationship with other living organisms Mycorrhizae – beneficial relationship with fungi with plant root More than 90% of plants in nature have a mycorrhizal in roots (example: Truffles- expensive delicacy!) Lichens – associations of fungi with algae or cyanobacteria Food source for animals, breaking down rocks into soil

Parasitic fungi harm plants and animals Parasitic fungi cause 80% of plant diseases Can kill plants and affect crops Figure 17.19A–C

Many fungi are harmful to humans Can cause human diseases – allergies, athletes foot, ringworm, yeast infection

Ringworm A contagious fungal infection having characteristic red ring that can appear on an infected person’s skin Can affect the scalp, the body (particularly the groin), the feet, and the nails Also called Tinea

Benefits of Fungi Fungi also form mutualistic relationships with animals Some animals benefit from the digestive abilities of lichens Figure 17.21

Benefits of Fungi: Lichens consist of fungi living mutually with photosynthetic organisms Lichens consist of algae or cyanobacteria (protists or bacteria) within a fungal network Fungal hyphae Algal cell Colorized SEM 1,000  Figure 17.20A, B

Lichens

Benefits of Fungi Fungi have enormous ecological, economic and practical uses Ecological= fungi are essential decomposers; mycorrhizae increase plant growth Economic/Practical= antibiotics and food (making bleu cheese/ truffles and truffle hunting) Staphylococcus aureus P enicillium Zone of inhibited growth Figure 17.22A, B

More Useful Fungi: Yeasts – baking and brewing beer Antibiotics – penicillin & cephalosporin Production of organic acids – citric acid in Coke Steroids and medicines – birth control pills

MAJOR PARTS OF A MUSHROOM: Cap (Pileus) - The top part of the mushroom. Cup (Volva) - A cup-shaped structure at the base of the mushroom. The basal cup is the remnant of the button (the rounded, undeveloped mushroom before the fruiting body appears). Not all mushrooms have a cup. Gills (Lamellae) - A series of radially arranged (from the center) flat surfaces located on the underside of the cap. Spores are made in the gills. Mycelial threads - Root-like filaments that anchor the mushroom in the soil. Ring (Annulus) - A skirt-like ring of tissue circling the stem of mature mushrooms. Not all mushrooms have a ring. Scales - Rough patches of tissue on the surface of the cap Stem (Stape) - The main support of the mushroom; it is topped by the cap. Not all mushrooms have a stem.

Structure of a Basidiomycetes