Fungi Flashcards
What do fungi need to survive?
Water and oxygen
Grow most places except extreme conditions
1.5 million species
What are fungi?
Eukaryotic heterotrophs with cell walls made of chitin
Digest food outside body then absorb
Absorb nutrients from decaying matter
Can live as parasite
What do fungi do?
Decomposers, 70% major crop disease, generate commercial products ( ethanol, enzymes and anti b), life threatening group of pathogens due to transplant surgery and immunosuppressive conditions, can act as a parasite
Describe the structure of Fungi?
Yeast - unicellular
Other - multicellular
Composed of filaments called hyphae
Some hyphae have cross walls
What is apical growth?
Hyphae surrounded by wall extended at tip - drag protoplasm forward as they grow- apical growth
What is mycelium?
Where hyphae branch to form body of fungi. Many hyphae tangled to form a thick mass. Increases surface area for uptake
What is the fruiting body?
The reproductive structure
What is the advantage of apical growth?
Allows fungi to grow into fresh zones of nutrients and penetrate hard surfaces eg. Cellulose
This is why fungi are important as plant pathogens and decomposers
How are fungi spread?
Via spores. Thick walls protect them from unfavourable conditions for long periods of time.
Fungi produce secondary metabolites, what are these?
Play no role in growth or energy production
Some have anti b properties
Some are potent toxins
Some are pigments inserted into fungal walls or released into environment or flavour or odour components of toadstools
How to fungi reproduce?
Asexual and sexual reproduction
How do fungi reproduce asexually?
Hyphae break off and grow on their own
Some produce spores- scatter and grow.
Spores produced in sporangia
Sporangia at tips of specialised hyphae called sporangiophores
How do fungi reproduce sexually?
2 mating types “+” and “-“
Hyphae of opposite mating types meet and nuclei fuse into 1 cell
Nuclei form a diploid zygote nuclei
Zygote enters meiosis and produce haploid spores
Spores capable of growing into new organisms.
What are the purpose of spores?
Allow fungus to move to a new food source
Resistance- allow survival during adversity
Introducing new genetic combinations
Where do spores come from?
Directly on hyphae
Inside sporangia
Fruiting bodies
