Fungi

Question 1

Define fungi

Answer 1

Eukaryotic cells found in terrestrial environments
Primary decomposers of organic matter
Reproduce by sexual and asexual reproduction
Classified using morphology or evolutionary relationships

Question 2

What are Chytridiomycotas?

Answer 2

The first fungi to evolve
Lives in water and soil
Has a flagella
Is a plant parasite and a threat to the amphibian species

Question 3

What are Zygomycotas?

Answer 3

Plant parasites

Responsible for food spoilage

Question 4

What are Ascomycotas?

Answer 4

Plant pathogens that are morphologically diverse
Have sexual and asexual spots
Examples include yeast, mould and truffles

Question 5

What type of fungi are yeast, mould and truffles an example of?

Answer 5

Ascomyota

Question 6

What are Basidiomycotas?

Answer 6

Saprotrophs (decomposers) that have a fruiting body and septate hyphae
Spores are located underneath and go towards the root
Example: mushrooms

Question 7

Outline asexual reproduction

Answer 7

Germination
Mycelium
Spore-producing structures
Spores

Question 8

Outline sexual reproduction

Answer 8

Germination
Mycelium
Plasmogamy
Dikaryotic stage
Genetic variation
Karyogamy
Diploid stage
Meiosis
Spore-producing structures
Spores

Question 9

Outline the structure of a filamentous fungi

Answer 9

The filamentous fungi has hyphae, which grow to form a mass. Some of the hyphae contain cross walls, some do not

Question 10

Outline the components of hyphae

Answer 10

Contain-
Cell wall
Nucleus
Membrane bound organelles

Question 11

Outline how fungi obtain nutrients

Answer 11

They are heterotrophs and so obtain their nutrients form the environment
They are also saprotrophs so decompose
They obtain nutrients by releasing enzymes from the hyphae tips to breakdown the environment and absorb the broken down product
Digestion comes before absorption

Question 12

How does fungi store their ‘food’?

Answer 12

As glycogen

Question 13

With reference to how fungi obtain nutrients what is the word used to describe the direction of movement?

Answer 13

Bidirectional movement

Question 14

What is an example of a non-filamentous fungi?

Answer 14

Yeast

Question 15

Do non-filamentous fungi form colonies?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

What does dimorphic mean?

Answer 16

Can grow in two forms e.g. as a yeast and a fungi

- can grow in the filamentous and non-filamentous form

Question 17

What may affect a fungi’s ability to be dimorphic?

Answer 17

Temperature

Question 18

What is hyphal fragmentation?

Answer 18

A form of asexual reproduction

• an asexual form is formed by the separation and fragmentation of the hypha
  e. g. chiamysospores

Question 19

What is meant by the term ‘production of spores’ when related to asexual reproduction?

Answer 19

The formation of asexual spores by mitosis at the tips of specialised hyphae

Question 20

How does yeast reproduce? Describe this process

Answer 20

By budding
The parent cells form a ‘bud’ on their outer surface, as the bud grows the nucleus of the parent cell migrates into the bud. The cell wall material is laid down between the bud and the parent cell, it then breaks away and leaves a scar.