Mycology Fungi

Characteristics - General Eukaryotic Heterotrophic (from organic materials) Saprophytes – from decaying organic matter Parasites/Symbiotic Cell walls made of chitin (not cellulose) Many tiny filaments (hyphae) tangled together = mycelium Large surface area Except yeast

Characteristics – Eating/Food No ingestion– absorb through wall/membrane Digestive enzymes into environment Recycling nutrients Decomposers

Reproduction Asexual and Sexual Asexual – spores or hyphae fragmentation Sporangia – spore storage Sexual +/- Gametangium Fusing – form zygote

Reproduction continued… Most of life – haploid (N) Only diploid (2n) during reproduction After fusion – meiosis…back to N

1. Oomycota – Protistlike Fungi “water molds”, downy mildew Few on land Thin cell walls of cellulose Absorb food Motile spores Swim through rain/water Multinucleates Potato Blight

Oomycota Life cycle – p409 Sexual/Asexual Antheridium – sperm cells Oogonium – egg cells Spores produces by 2N mycelium Flagellated Spores (only ones) Form zoo spores

Oomycetes

Zygomycota – common molds Eg. Black bread mold, cheese mold, meat mold Terrestrial Form zygospore Thick walled zygote Hyphae lack cross walls (chitin) Except for reproductive structures More than one type RHIZOIDS – ANCHORS Release enzymes + absorb STOLONS – STEMS/TUBES

Zygomycete Life Cycle – P410 Asexual – spores Sexual - Hyphates form gametangia (gamete producing). fuse to form diploid zygospore (thick wall) -> hypha -> sporangium -> mycelium Sporangophore = stalk that holds sporangium

Zygomycete

Ascomycota – Sac Fungi Eg. Morels, yeasts (bread) Largest phylum Nuclei separated Openings in cross walls – cytoplasm/nuclei 20 minutes to life Yeast, H2O + sugar

Ascomycota Life Cycle – P412 Asexual: Conidiophores – specialized hyphae Conidia – fine spores Sexual: Ascus – tiny sac formed +/- mating types = gametangia Allow haploid fusing -> zygote Up to 16 cells in ascus = ASCOSPORES

Ascomycete life cycle cont.

Basidiomycota – Club Fungi Eg. Mushrooms, bracket (shell) fungi Basidium – spore producing structure Massive clumps of hyphae = fruiting body Mushroom can show up over night

Basidomycota Life Cycle – P413 Basidiospore -> produces haploid mycelia Fusion of mycelia (but not nuclei…yet) makes fruiting body (mushrooms) Hypahe forms button Gills with basidia Fusion of basidium – 2N -> meiosis - scattering

Basidiomycete life cycle…a picture

Deuteromycota – Imperfect Fungi Eg. Penicilum, ring worm, athletes foot No observed sexual reproduction Look similar to ascomycetes, basidiomycetes, zygomycetes Asexual – conidia May be modified ascomycete

Fungi in Nature Feed on living organisms/dead remains Decomposition Leaves, wood, animals Found in almost every environment Strands of mushrooms Spore placement = lottery win puffballs

Fungi and people continued Lichens = symbiotic relationship between fungus and photosynthetic organisms Primary succession Making bread (and alcohol) and food Be careful Disease Potato blight – Ireland Wheat Rust – N.A. Foot Ringworm Yeast infection

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Fun(gi) facts Peniclin (antibiotics) discovered by accident Farming Ants Big (89km2) + 1500yrs + 600tons Blue whale = 200 tons Tasty (but expensive) truffles On sale! Only $450/lb Trees donating energy Up to 10% Bioluminescent mushrooms Spontaneous combustion?

Things to know Role of fungi/Importance Diseases/Help in nature General Characteristics of Fungi Example/Characteristic/Reproduction Phylums