Fungi Cell Biology

Question 1

Aggregations of amoebae differentiate into

Answer 1

spore bearing fruiting structures

Question 2

chemotaxis of amoebae cells are

Answer 2

responsible for cell aggregation

Question 3

Plasmodial slime moulds can exist as a single wall- less cell and can contain

Answer 3

many thousands of nuclei

Question 4

Budding yeast

Answer 4

known as bakers yeast e.t.c.,

Question 5

Hyphal growth at the leading edge of the colony shows

Answer 5

that the branches initially aim to avoid each other, but end up joining, this is presumably to do with maximising surface area.

Question 6

Tip growth involves

Answer 6

polarised extension

Question 7

Growing hyphae contain spitzenkorper

Answer 7

full of secretory vesicles within their tips

Question 8

600 fungi

Answer 8

are known to infect human. these are called mycoses

Question 9

dermatophytes

Answer 9

cause ringworm, athletes foot, nail infection. Very common (affect 1/4 of world population), skin diseases. are most prevalent diseases

Question 10

commensals

Answer 10

grows harmlessly on mucus membrane, but under appropriate conditions, can become invasive pathogens

Question 11

opportunistic pathogens of the lungs

Answer 11

found normally as saprotrophs, but can grow in the lung and invade the tissues of immunocompromised individuals

Question 12

Features of dermatophytes

Answer 12

living tissues not invaded as these cannot grow at 37 degrees,

Question 13

Dermatophyte pathogens are keratinophilic

Answer 13

they are able to grow on keratin rich substances.

Question 14

candid albicans is

Answer 14

the major fungal pathogen of humans. immunodeficient individuals are particularly susceptible to candiditis.

Question 15

opportunistic pathogens are

Answer 15

those fungi which can produce spores small enough to reach aveoli, grow at 37 degrees and evade host immnune response

Question 16

cryptococcus neoformans can

Answer 16

infect the cns causing meningitis which is fatal if untreated

Question 17

Main antifungals used to treat human fungal diseases, and their targets

Answer 17

azoles, polyene antiobiotics, echinocandins, flucytosine

Question 18

aflatoxin

Answer 18

first became important in the 1960s where there was a disease at a turkey farm. Aflatoxin B1 is one of the most toxic known. At lower levels, the toxins can cause liver cancer in humans.

Question 19

fungi can produce many useful metabolites

Answer 19

examples include penicillin - this inhibits activity of enzymes required for cross linking …..

Question 20

Coprine is

Answer 20

produced by members of the ink mushroom family and cause toxic symptoms when consumed with alcohol.

Question 21

Ergot alkaloids include the

Answer 21

precursor of LSD, and pharmacologically useful compounds to treat migranes, and in childbirth…