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Fungi

Fungi. Fungi. Eukaryotic organisms Heterotrophic Contain the polysaccharide chitin in their cell walls Where once considered part of the plant kingdom Evolved close to 900 million years ago. Classification of Fungi. Over 70000 species have been described

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Fungi

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  1. Fungi

  2. Fungi • Eukaryotic organisms • Heterotrophic • Contain the polysaccharide chitin in their cell walls • Where once considered part of the plant kingdom • Evolved close to 900 million years ago

  3. Classification of Fungi • Over 70000 species have been described • Estimated to have over 1.5 million species total • Some phyla include: • Mastigomycota – water moulds, chytrids • Zygomycota – moulds (bread moulds, dung moulds) • Basidiomycota – mushrooms, cap fungi • Ascomycota – yeast, morrels, truffles

  4. Fungi vs. Plants

  5. Fungi nutrition • Feed by extracellular digestion • As hyphae grow across its substrate, digestive enzymes are released • Macromolecules are broken down into smaller molecules • Smaller molecules are then absorbed into the hyphae

  6. Fungal Anatomy

  7. Fungal Anatomy • Most fungi are invisible to the eye, as most of the fungus is in the soil or substrate • Some become visible when we see their fruiting bodies (eg. mushroom caps) • Mycellium – networks of hyphal threads. • Some fungi are the largest organisms on earth (an area of 2200 acres/ 8.9km2)

  8. Importance of Fungi • Symbiosis – symbiosis is two different species each depending on eachother • Trees have fungi living in close quarters to their roots • Hyphae absorb minerals/nutrients, and release them to the roots • Fungus benefits by absorbing sugars and amino acids from the plant • Relationship is call mycorrhiza (hyphae/roots)

  9. Mycorrhiza

  10. The fungus Aspergillus glaucus growing on bread in a compost heap.

  11. Aspergillus fungusThe fungus is made up of fungal threads (hyphae, grey) with conidiophores (fruiting bodies, brown) at the tip.

  12. Candida albicans fungusCells of the yeast- like fungus Candida albicans. This fungus is a cause of yeas infections (candidiasis). It is normally present on human skin and on the mucous membranes of the mouth, respiratory and intestinal tracts and the vagina.

  13. Ergot Ingestion of ergot causes poisoning (ergotism) in animals and humans, which can be fatal. Symptoms can include vomiting, gangrene and hallucinations. A number of medical drugs, as well as LSD, are derived from ergot

  14. Dermatophyten - This fungus is the cause of athlete's foot (tinea pedis) and scalp ringworm (tinea capitus). Both of these contagious skin infections are spread by the fungus's spores (orange). Also seen here are the fungus' thread-like hyphae structures (green).

  15. MildewThe fruiting bodies of a fungus growing in a compost heap. Compost is made by allowing a heap of vegetable trimmings, non- seeding weed plants and grass mowings to degrade. The resulting brown, crumbly compost is dug into soil to provide plants with nutrients.

  16. References • Pictures from: • http://www.eyeofscience.de/ • www.thecapcrew.ca • http://www.apsnet.org/education/illustratedglossary/PhotosI-M/mycorrhiza.htm

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