Kingdom Fungi
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prominent members of ecosystems
useful as model systems and industry
some are major human pathogens
two groups
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protists
fungi
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100,000 species divided into 2 groups:
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Macroscopic fungi (mushrooms, puffballs, gill
fungi)
Microscopic fungi (molds, yeasts)
Majority are unicellular or colonial; a few have
cellular specialization
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Exist in two morphologies:
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Yeast – round ovoid shape, asexual reproduction
Hyphae – long filamentous fungi or molds
Some exist in either form – dimorphic –
characteristic of some pathogenic molds
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Figure 5.15
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Figure 5.16c
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All are heterotrophic
Majority are harmless saprobes living off
dead plants and animals
Some are parasites, living on the tissues of
other organisms, but none are obligate
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Mycoses – fungal infections
Growth temperature 20o-40oC
Extremely widespread distribution in many
habitats
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Most grow in loose associations or colonies
Yeast – soft, uniform texture and appearance
Filamentous fungi – mass of hyphae called
mycelium; cottony, hairy, or velvety texture
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Hyphae may be divided by cross walls – septate
Vegetative hyphae – digest and absorb nutrients
Reproductive hyphae – produce spores for
reproduction
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Isolation on specific media
Macroscopic and microscopic observation
of:
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Asexual spore-forming structures and spores
Hyphal type
Colony texture and pigmentation
Physiological characteristics
Genetic makeup
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Primarily through spores formed on
reproductive hyphae
Asexual reproduction – spores are formed
through budding or mitosis; conidia or
sporangiospores
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Figure 5.19
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Sexual reproduction – spores are formed
following fusion of two different strains and
formation of sexual structure
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Zygospores, ascospores, and basidiospores
Sexual spores and spore-forming structures are
one basis for classification
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Kingdom Eumycota is subdivided into several phyla
based upon the type of sexual reproduction:
1.
Zygomycota – zygospores; sporangiospores and
some conidia
2.
Ascomycota – ascospores; conidia
3.
Basidiomycota – basidiospores; conidia
4.
Chytridomycota – flagellated spores
5.
Fungi that produce only Asexual Spores
(Imperfect)
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Figure 5.20 Formation of zygospores
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Figure 5.21 Production of ascospores
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Figure 5.22 Formation of basidiospores in a mushroom
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Adverse impact
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Mycoses, allergies, toxin production
Destruction of crops and food storages
Beneficial impact
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Decomposers of dead plants and animals
Sources of antibiotics, alcohol, organic acids,
vitamins
Used in making foods and in genetic studies
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