Fungi Reproduction
Jessica Harwood
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
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AUTHORS
Jessica Harwood
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
EDITOR
Douglas Wilkin, Ph.D.
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Printed: February 10, 2015
CONTRIBUTORS
Doris Kraus, Ph.D.
Niamh Gray-Wilson
Jean Brainard, Ph.D.
Sarah Johnson
Jane Willan
Corliss Karasov
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C HAPTER
Chapter 1. Fungi Reproduction
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Fungi Reproduction
• Describe asexual reproduction in fungi.
• Summarize sexual reproduction in fungi.
What’s this brown powder coming out of the fungus?
This is a "puffball" fungus. At maturity, clouds of a brown dust-like power escape when they are touched. This
powdery substance is made up of spores, the reproductive structure of the fungus.
Reproduction in Fungi
Different fungi reproduce in different ways. Many fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually. However, some
reproduce only sexually and some only asexually. Asexual reproduction involves just one parent and sexual reproduction involves two parents.
Asexual Reproduction
Through asexual reproduction, new organisms are produced that are genetically identical to the parent. That is,
they have exactly the same DNA. Fungi reproduce asexually through three methods:
1. Spores: Spores are formed by the fungi and released to create new fungi. This is the powdery substance
released by puffballs.
2. Budding: The fungus grows a new part of its body, which eventually breaks off. The broken-off piece becomes
a “new” organism ( Figure 1.1).
3. Fragmentation: In this method, a piece of the mycelium, the body of the fungus, splits off. The resulting
fragment can eventually produce a new colony of fungi.
Asexual reproduction is faster and produces more fungi than sexual reproduction. This form of reproduction is
controlled by many different factors. Outside conditions, such as the availability of food, determine when a fungus
undergoes asexual reproduction.
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FIGURE 1.1
Yeast reproduce asexually by budding.
Sexual Reproduction
Almost all fungi can reproduce sexually. But why reproduce sexually when asexual reproduction is much quicker?
Sexual reproduction brings together traits from the two parents. This increases the genetic diversity of the species.
In plants and animals, sexual reproduction occurs when sperm and egg from two parents join to make a new
individual. In fungi, however, two haploid hyphae meet together and their nuclei fuse. Instead of calling a hyphae
male or female, they have different mating types, such as (+) and (-) ( Figure 1.2).
FIGURE 1.2
The common mushroom, a fruiting body,
results after sexual reproduction when
two hyphae, one (+) and one (-), mate.
Summary
• Fungi can reproduce asexually by spores, budding, or fragmentation.
• Fungi can reproduce sexually to create a zygospore.
Explore More
Use the resources below to answer the questions that follow.
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Chapter 1. Fungi Reproduction
Explore More I
• Reproduction in Fungi at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDwgSWDqKoQ (2:06)
MEDIA
Click image to the left or use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/57459
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where are spores made in a fungi?
When does fertilization occur in fungi?
When does meiosis occur during the reproduction cycle of a fungus?
What disperses the fungal spores?
What happens to the spores in favorable conditions?
Explore More II
• Sexual and Asexual Reproduction in Fungi at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1uQ5rXmbO8 (2:33)
MEDIA
Click image to the left or use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/57460
1. When is asexual reproduction advantageous to fungi?
2. When is sexual reproduction advantageous to fungi?
3. How does the ability to reproduce sexually or asexually make fungi adaptive to a wider range of environments?
Review
1.
2.
3.
4.
How do fungi reproduce asexually?
What is the advantage of sexual reproduction?
What is a spore?
What are the two "sexes" of fungi?
References
1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH. Yeast reproduce asexually by budding . Public
Domain
2. Zachary Wilson. The common mushroom, a fruiting body, results after sexual reproduction when two hyphae
mate . CC BY-NC 3.0
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