10 - putting fungi to good use Flashcards
What are fungi used to control?
Insect pests (in glasshouses) and phytopathogrnic fungi (in soil)
How does verticillium lecanii impact insects
The spores are sticky so they attach to the insect which becomes contagious
What mechanisms are used by fungi to control pathogenic fungi?
They can parasitise the pathogen
The can produce antibiotics/ poisons that kill the pathogen
They compete with the fungi for nutrients etc
What is a mycoparasite?
A fungi that parasitise other fungi
How is saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) used in the food industry?
Baking, brewing and the production of marmite
How is fusarium used in the food industry?
It is used as quorn
What enzymes can be produced by aspergillus niger and what do they do?
Glucoamylases - liquid starch to glucose syrup
Pectinases - breakdown of pectins in plant cell walls (fruit juices)
Glucose oxidises - food preservation and diagnostic tests
Phytases - improve animal feed
What is acrylaway?
An enzyme produced by aspergillus niger that reduces acrylamide (a carcinogen) levels from baked snacks
How is citric acid produced and what is it used for?
It is produced by aspergillus niger in condictions with excess sugar and no trace metals and it is used as an acidity regulator
What useful drugs can be produced by fungi?
Antibiotics (penicillin) and statins
What are statins?
Drugs that inhibit the biosynthesis of cholesterol
What species of fungus produces penicillin?
Penicillium notatum
