Einführung in die Pilze: 2

Question 1

what are the 3 main “life”-styles of fungi?

Answer 1

1) saprobes
2) symbionts (mutualistic relationship)
3) parasites/pathogens (can be opportunistic)

Question 2

what are the characteristics of saprobes?

Answer 2

• nature’s recyclers
• can break down all complex carbon structures occuring in other organisms
• useful for:
  1) mineralisation
  2) bioremediation
  3) biotechnology

Question 3

what are the characteristics of symbionts?

Answer 3

mutualistic relationship between fungus and other organism

Question 4

What are lichens?

Answer 4

symbionts.

• fungus (=mycobiont) and algae or cyanobacterium (=photobiont)
• extends the ecological range of both partners
• pioneers in extreme habitats
• role of fungus: moisture, minerals
• role of algae: photosynthetic, carbon fixation

Question 5

what are mycorrhizae?

Answer 5

symbionts
-nearly ubiquitous (>80% of plants)

2 main classes:

1) ectomycorrhizae => contact root but do not enter cells
2) endomycorrhizae (enter root cells) => most prevalent: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)

Question 6

what are the characteristics of plant pathogens?

Answer 6

• various forms: rusts, smuts, blasts, blotches, mildews…
• > 70% of plant diseases caused by fungi

-can develop rapidly and have devastating effects on crops with major impacts
on humans

Question 7

what are the characteristics of human pathogens?

Answer 7

Broadly, three categories can be distinguished:

1) pathogens: species that have an advantage of higher fitness if a vertebrate is used in any stage of
their lifecycle

2) opportunists: species that occupy environmental habitats where they have characteristics that
coincidentally enhance tissue invasion if they are accidentally introduced into a human body

3) colonizers: dependent on products of the human body, normally without becoming invasive.

Question 8

what’s the nomeclature

Answer 8

kingdom: fungi
subkingdom: -myceta
phylum/division: -mycota
subphylum: -mycotina
class: -mycetes
subclass: -mycetidae
order
family
genus
species

Question 9

Mucoromycotina

Answer 9

->Mucor : best known genus
-preferentially on dung, but also
spoilage of food; mould ripened cheese
-part of indoor dust
-example : Mucor mucedo (can digest
wood

->Rhizopus saprobes on plants and specialized
parasites
on animals
-typical hyphae without cross walls
-some species used in Asia for
fermented foods and beverages:

> R. oligosporus : for Tempeh

> R. oryzae : for fermented sweet rice (in combination with a yeast)

> R. chinensis & M. racemosus : for fermented
tofu (“ Sufu”)
-Well known black bread mold:

> R. stolonifer

Question 10

Dikarya

Answer 10

one special morphological adaptation: hyphal septation

-only Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

-function:
>compartimentalization cell differentiation
possible when closed
>hyphal integrity closing through Woronin
bodies or other plug upon damage
>some structural support (e.g. during osmotic stresses)

Question 11

structure of Fungal Septa (cross walls)

Answer 11

-relatively large central pore (passage of organelles possible)
-develops as ingrowing ring
-accompanied by changes in the lateral wall (LW); particularly
glycoprotein reticulum (GR)
-smaller central pore (NO passage of organelles possible; thus more regular
nuclear arrangements)

Question 12

Neurospora crassa

Answer 12

• Ascomycete
• First described in 1843 as a red mold infestation in French bakeries
• Found world-wide on burnt trees & sugar cane bagasse
• Recently described also as an endophyte
• one of the major three fungal genetics model species

Question 13

Trichoderma

spp.

Answer 13

•Teleomorph*: Hypocrea
•typical green color of mycelium
•readily isolated from soil samples all over
the world and from tree bark
•saprophytes, some plant parasites , many
form mutualistic endophytic relationships
with several plant species (“ opportunistic
avirulent plant symbionts
•mycotrophic nature of the genus
•examples:
-T. harzianum , T. viride , T. virens ,…,…:
used as biofungicide / biocontrol
agent
-T. reesei : producer of cellulase &
hemicellulase enzymes ( > 100g/L !)

Question 14

How does Trichoderma

spp. promote health?

Answer 14

-auxin production
-competition & direct
mycoparasitism of
potentially pathogenic fungi
in the rhizosphere
-induction of systemic
resistance in planta
-exchange of nutrients

Question 15

The

Penicillium family

Answer 15

•“brush fungus” due to typical conidiophore structure
•nearly ubiquitous but more abundant in moderate temp. zones
•wide industrial application:
-P. camemberti / roqueforti cheese
-P. nalgiovense dry cured salami
-P. chrysogenum antibiotic
-P. citrinum statins

•also plant pathogens:
-P. expansum (“green

 •can degrade pectin; produces mycotoxin Patulin
 •since abundant on apples, there are EU wide regulations for the max. conc. in apple sauce and juice!

Question 16

the Aspergilli

Answer 16

•“watering can
•Teleomorph: Emericella
•many truly ubiquitous and important:
-A. niger: production of citric acid and pectinolytic amylolytic
enzymes
-A. nidulans one of the three classical model organisms
-A. flavus mycotoxins (moldy
-A. fumigatus human opportunistic pathogen Aspergillosis
-A. oryzae (“Koji mold”) Asian fermentation organism (soy sauce etc.)
-A. terreus statins ( HMG CoA reductase inhibitor drugs to lower
cholesterol

Question 17

Basidiomycota

Ustilaginomycetes example

Answer 17

Ustilago maydis
•corn smut disease
•Well studied; new genetics model system
•related to rusts (no fruiting body)
•dimorphic life style

Question 18

Agaricomycetes

Answer 18

• Most edible mushrooms found here (and most
• Ectomycorrhiza (
• White rots
• Brown rots
• Litter decomposers
• Parasites

Question 19

what do different rots do?

Answer 19

1) white rots: most complete , since able to degrade lignin; mainly on hardwood
2) brown rots: only ligin modification; mainly on coniferous softwoods; include true dry rots
3) soft rots: preferentially on low-lignin wood with higih moisture content and direct soil contact

Question 20

yeasts

Answer 20

-“Yeast” is NOT a definite term in a
phylogenetic sense
-it rather characterizes the morphology
-these fungi are not filamentous, but
grow by budding
=>adaptation to special habitats (e.g.
surfaces, fruits, flowers)