Exam 2 Flashcards
what drives adaptations and evolution?
natural selection
how do fungi absorb nutrients?
excrete enzymes called glucanase to breakdown cellulose of plants and other practices
what is founder effect and how does it play a role in speciation?
occurs when a small group of individuals colonizes a new area, leading to a reduced genetic diversity and a distinct genetic makeup in the new population compared to the original one
how does founder effect relate to secondary metabolites?
genes that produce the enzymes for glucanase are next to secondary metabolites that produce antibacterial enzymes and plant toxins
how do fungi find nutrients?
some fungi can find nutrients through cord formation, forming cords and cross
non-nutritional spaces in pursuit of
nutrients
what unique adaptions have fungi developed to outcompete other organisms?
-some species can produce enzymes that change the pH to better suit their survival
-psychrotolerant species can grow at or just below freezing temps
what is geomycology?
is when fungi begin the process of mineralization in soils by deteriorating rocks.
can fungi break down non-organic matter? if so, what benefits can humans get from that?
some fungi can break down and consume plastics, which would be beneficial to humans and could possibly decrease excess waste.
how does fungi interact with radiation? what adaptions have they developed?
melanin not only protects the outer cell wall but allows the fungi to absorb radiation and convert it into energy.
how does bioluminescence work? what species exhibit it? what benefit does it provide fungi?
-electrons are transferred to an acceptor molecule called luciferin which is
then cleaved by luciferase in the presence of oxygen.
-causes the luciferin to emit light
-80 species of basidiomycota exhibit this
-attract insect pollinators
know the three kinds of mycorrhizal fungi and how they interact with plants
-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
-ectomycorrhiza (ECM)
-ericoid mycorrhiza (ERM)
primarily Basidiomycetes but some ascomycetes formed between forest trees and fungi
ectomycorrhiza (ECM)
glomeromycota phylum
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)
formed between ascomycetes and ericaceae, occurs in nutrient-poor soils
ericoid mycorrhiza (ERM)
what is mycoheterotrophy?
a form of plant nutrition in which a plant
species that has lost its chlorophyll depends on the mycelium of a mycorrhizal fungus to supplement or replace photosynthesis as a source of carbon/energy.
In effect, a mycoheterotrophic plant is a
parasite on the mycorrhizal symbiosis, cheating it of the carbon resources shared in the mycorrhizal mutualism.
a hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungi species
lichen
how does lichen form?
through a symbiotic relationship, or mutualistic partnership, between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacteria
what are the different kinds of lichen?
foliose- leafy
fruticose- branching, 3 dimensional
crustose- hard, dry crust structure
what are decaying fungi? what do they do? how can humans use them?
-saprobic fungi can decay dead organic matter by acquiring nutrients from it
-these fungi can decay animals and even aid in the decomposition of humans
-forsenic mycology can aid in locating bodies and/or finding the time of death
what are the different kinds of wood decaying fungi and what parts of the plant do they decay first?
-brown rot decays cellulose and hemi cellulose
-white rot decays lignin
what are the different types of phytopathogens?
necrotrophs
biotrophs
hemi-biotrophic
destroy living cells and feed on their contents
necrotrophs
feed on living cells without destroying them, but negatively impact a plants fitness
biotrophs
start as biotrophs and then destroy the
cells
hemi-biotrophic
does a plant have any defense against pathogens?
yes, non-host resistance and basal resistance
what is the disease triangle?
host susceptibility
severity of environment
virulence or abundance of the disease
a hyphal formation that allows
the fungi to adhere to the plant surface or
opening
appressorium
slow moving pathogens which typically do not release cell destroying enzymes unless required
-some species will utilize the defenses of the plant to obtain nutrients
-doesn’t destroy the plant cells, but they do cause harm to the host
biotrophic pathogens
how does disease move throughout the world?
as we continue to alter the natural environment, we’re creating opportunity for fungi to invade new spaces
-moving soil, moving plants, warming the planet, etc
how do new diseases come about?
pathogen introduction into new regions and the evolution of new pathogen strains
what can be done to stop the spread of disease?
hyphal tip releases enzymes that
breakdown plant cells
- tissue becomes soft and watery
- symptoms observable in leaf spot
diseases, pathogen eventually
moves into the vascular system of the
host and moves throughout the plant
necrotrophic pathogens
how does fungi impact humans?
-can be direct or indirect, mutualistic or parasitic, they can live on you or inside of you.
-over 80 genera of fungi can cause allergic reactions which can lead to further illness
is there a difference between the fungi and the metabolites it produces?
yes, metabolites are small molecules produced by fungi that have their own unique effects.
how does fungi interact with invertebrates? what unique structures do they have?
spread via spores that stick to the cuticle of the insect.
-germination depends on temperature, humidity, UV light, nutritional and chemical environments.
-some insects have toxic compounds in their cuticle to defend against pathogens
the parasitic relationship between fungi and invertebrates is most commonly
hemi-biotrophic or necrotrophic with some exceptions
what have humans been able to produce with these fungal adaptations?
biopesticides
what are the three forms of predatory fungi?
-trap forming fungi
-endoparasites infect nematodes entire body
-parasites that infect females, eggs, or larvae
what are the mutualistic relationships between fungi and invertebrates?
fungi can provide nutrients to some invertebrates while the invertebrates aid in spore dispersal.
