Fungi Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Holly Springs High School Honors Biology

Fungi- Fact sheet Eukaryotic heterotrophs that have cell walls (made of chitin – a modified polysaccharide). Mostly multicellular (except yeasts) Complex life cycles, haploid and diploid They digest food outside of their bodies and then absorb it. All are DECOMPOSERS (saprophytes), recycling nutrients by breaking down the bodies of other organisms

Fungi Structure Multicellular fungi have filaments (hyphae) A thick mass of hyphae is called a mycelium Fruiting bodies grow from mycelium

Mycelium Fruiting body Hyphae

Your toes?

Fungi Reproduction Asexual by hyphae breaking off and growing on their own. Spores, produced in sporangia Sexual + and – gametes formed in gametangia, which fuse to become a zygote. Meiosis occurs, forming haploid nuclei (dominates the life cycle)

are divided into the phyla Fungi are divided into the phyla Zygomycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota Deuteromycota includes includes includes includes Common molds Sac fungi Club fungi Imperfect fungi

Common Mold- Zygomycota Diploid Haploid FERTILIZATION MEIOSIS Sexual Reproduction Asexual Reproduction Zygospore (2N) Spores (N) Sporangium + Mating type (N) Stolons Rhizoids - Mating type (N) Sporangiophore Gametangia Rhizopus stolonifer Life cycle with a zygospore (zygote) 2 types of hyphae stolons (surface) rhizoids (penetrate into surrounding material)

Mold growing on a lemon

Sac Fungi- Ascomycota Asexual reproduction by tiny spores (conidia) FERTILIZATION MEIOSIS HYPHAE FUSE Diploid Haploid Sexual Reproduction Asexual Reproduction Hypha (N) Conidiophore Conidia (N) + Mating type (N) - Mating type (N) 8 Ascospores (N) Ascus Zygote (2N) Ascus (N + N) Fruiting body (N + N) Hyphae (N + N) Gametangia Asci Hyphae (N) Asexual reproduction by tiny spores (conidia) Sexual reproduction by spores (ascospores) contained in a sac (Ascus).

Sac Fungi Ascomycota Morel (edible)

Ascomycota - Yeasts Saccharomyces– yeast used for cooking, uses fermentation which releases carbon dioxide.

Club Fungi- Basidiomycota FERTILIZATION MEIOSIS HYPHAE FUSE Fruiting body (N + N) Button Secondary mycelium (N + N) Primary mycelium (N) + Mating type (N) - Mating type (N) Basidiospores (N) Zygote (2N) Basidia (N + N) Gills lined with basidia Gills Stalk Base Cap Haploid Diploid Fruiting body (the mushroom) contains basidia, which fuse to form a zygote, undergoes meiosis, and begins to grow.

The record price paid for a single white truffle was set in December 2007, when Macau casino owner Stanley Ho paid $330,000 for a specimen weighing 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb), discovered by Luciano Savini and his dog Rocco.

Mushroom production…CLICK Also CLICK

Mushroom Cross section of Gills Gills with spores

Shelf Fungi Coral Fungi Puffballs Conch Fungi

Imperfect Fungi- Deuteromycota “Imperfect” fungi—Reproductive cycle is unknown ex. Pennicillium notatum (where we get Pennicillin)

Plant Fungal Diseases Corn Smut Wheat Rust Leaf spots on Holly

Human Fungal Diseases Athlete’s foot “Ringworm” Other fungal infections (Candida albicans– a yeast)

Animal Parasites Cordyceps- infects insects and kills them from the inside out.

Lichens – composite organisms Symbiosis Lichens – composite organisms Algae or cyanobacteria + fungus BioIndicators Can survive harsh environments

Mycorrhizae – Fungus attached to plant roots. Symbiosis Mycorrhizae – Fungus attached to plant roots. Fungus helps plants absorb nutrients, water, and minerals while receiving food from plant (photosynthesis). ~80% of all plants have mycorrhizae