Fungi Fungi General Characteristics Eukaryote Threadlike bodies hyphae

Fungi

Fungi General Characteristics Eukaryote Threadlike bodies (hyphae) Cell walls made of chitin Heterotrophic decomposers or saprobes (absorb nutrients from dead organisms) Classified based on reproductive structures

HYPHAE

Evolutionary Relationships • • Oldest fungi fossil are found between 450 -500 mil years Characteristics suggest that fungi originated from an unknown group of single-celled eukaryotes lacking flagella

Phylum/Divisio n Name Common Name a. Zygomycota Zygote fungi b. Ascomycota Sac Fungi c. Basidiomycota Club Fungi d. Deuteromycota e. Chytridiomycota Reproduction Examples Sexual - Zygospores Black bread mold (Rhizopus stolonifer) Sexual-spores in asci Cup morels; yeast; Plant disease = Dutch Elm & Chestnut Blight Sexual-Spores on basidia Mushrooms, toadstools, puffballs Pathogens - rusts, smuts Imperfect fungi Sexual – None Causes athlete's foot, ring worm Chytrids Sexual-Chytrid spores Similar to fungus-like protist

Black Bread Mold - Rhizopus

SAC FUNGI Yeast

Club Fungi

Deuteromycota - Imperfect

CHYTRID

Plant vs Fungi • Similarities – – • Both are anchored in the soil Both have cell walls Differences – – Fungi have NO true roots, stems, or leaves Fungi are heterotrophs; NO photosynthesis

Fungi Feeding Relationships • • • Saprobes or decomposers (mushroom) Parasites (athlete's foot) Mutualists (lichen)

Mushrooms • • • Mushroom = sexual reproductive structure Formed from buttons just under the soil that absorb lots of water = “overnight appearance” Fairy rings - mushrooms spores fall to the ground in a circular pattern

FAIRY RING

Fungi & Ecology • BOTH (monera) and fungi are major decomposers • Mycorrhizae: Mutualism between a fungus and plant roots; plants gets increased nutrients & fungi gets carbohydrates (food)

MYCORRHIZHAE

FUNGI & ECOLOGY (CONT) • Lichen: Mutualism between fungus & algae or cyanobacteria; fungus gets carbs (food) & partner gets nutrients & protection • NOTE: Lots of lichen = little air pollution • Lichen converts rock into soil = pioneering species

LICHEN

Benefits to Humans • • • Food (truffles, mushrooms, baking; making cheese and wine, soy sauce) Medicine (penicillin; cortisol) Genetic engineering = yeast used to make Hep B Vaccine Alternative fuels = yeast makes gasohol Pesticides

Problems to Humans • • • Poisonous – Edible and poisonous mushrooms may look exactly alike Parasitic fungi cause – plant diseases (Chestnut Blight, Dutch Elm) – Athletes foot & vaginal yeast infection Saprobic fungi cause: - food spoilage