1. Fungi Kingdom

2. General Characteristics
Eukaryotes
Cell Wall composed of chitin
Heterotrophs
Digest then ingest
Most are decomposers

3. Characteristics, cont. Require moisture to grow Survive drying out by
Dormancy
Spores
Less sensitive to osmotic pressure than prokaryotes

4. Body Plan Simplest – YEASTS Most are filamentous – MOLDS Unicellular
Round or oval shape
Most are filamentous – MOLDS
long, branched, thread-like filaments called hyphae
Hyphae form tangle mass called mycelium

5. HYPHAE Develop from a unicellular spore
Grows from the tip into a food source
Absorbs nutrients through large surface area
Most hyphae are divided by septa
Coenocytic hyphae lack septa

6. Most reproduce by spores
Fungal Reproduction
Most reproduce by spores

7. Spores
Nonmotile reproductive cells dispersed by wind, water, or animals
Produced in specialized aerial hyphae or fruiting bodies
May be produced either sexually or asexually

8. Fungal Life Cycle: Spore lands on suitable food source Germination
Hyphae grow/elongate
Infiltrate food source
Forms mycelium
Fruiting body forms – spores produced

9. Asexual Spores Produced by mitosis
Conidiophores – specialized hyphae that produce asexual spores called conidia

10. Asexual Reproduction
Yeast – primarily by budding

11. Sexual Reproduction Most Fungi
Most fungal cells contain haploid nucleus
Hyphae of 2 compatible mating types come together, cytoplasms fuse
Result is cell with 2 haploid nuclei

12. Generalized Sexual Reproduction:

13. Fungal Diversity and Importance

14. Symbiosis Mycorrhizae 80% of plants have fungus growing in or on roots
Decompose organic matter in soil – release nutrients
Increase surface area of roots

15. Lichens Fungus + photoautotroph Important in soil formation from rock
Pollution indicator

16. Positive Impact Food and food production Medicine and Science
Mushrooms & truffles
Wine, beer through fermentation
Bread
Certain cheeses
Medicine and Science
Drugs ex. penicillin
Biotech

17. Negative Impact Animals: Plants
Superficial - Ringworm, athlete’s foot, jock itch
Serious diseases: aspergillosis, histoplasmosis
Produce toxins
Plants
70% of all major crop diseases
Rusts, smuts, blight, rot