Introduction To Mycology

Question 1

What is mycology?

Answer 1

Mycology is the study of fungi

Question 2

What are fungi

Answer 2

Fungi are eukaryotic, spore-bearing, heterotrophic organisms that produce extracellular enzymes and absorb their nutrients

Question 3

Examples of fungi and characteristics

Answer 3

Molds - exhibit filamentous type of growth

Yeasts - exhibit pasty and mucoid form of fungal growth

Question 4

Description of fungi

Answer 4

• stain gram-positive

- require oxygen to survive

Question 5

Application of fungi

Answer 5

Food
Superficial colonisation
In medicine
Spoilage

Question 6

Fungi types n description

Answer 6

• yeasts - unicellular fungi reproduce by budding
• moulds (filamentous) - produce hyphae and mycelium
• dimorphic - grows as moulds (environment) or yeasts (in human host)

Question 7

What are the states of fungi and their examples sp

Answer 7

Anamorph - mitosporic state - Aspergillus
Teleomorph - sexual state - Neosartorya
Holomorph - is the entire fungus that includes both anamorph and teleomorph

Question 8

Describe fungi structure

Answer 8

• cell walls containing chitin, mannan and other polysaccharides
• Cytoplasmic membrane contains ergosterols
• posses true nuclei with nuclear membrane and paired chromosomes
• divide sexually, asexually or by both
• unicellular or multicellular

Question 9

Function of chitin in fungi

Answer 9

For rigidity and support

Question 10

What is heterotrophic

Answer 10

Heterotrophic is an organism that cannot produce its own food, instead taking nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, mainly plant or animal.

Question 11

Mode of nutrition of fungi

Answer 11

Heterotrophic

• secrete extracellular enzymes
• absorptive nutrition (osmotrophs)

Question 12

Heterotrophic can be classified into three

Answer 12

Saprobes- decay dead organic matter
Pathogens - biotroph, nectotroph
Symbionts - commensals, parasites n mutualists

Question 13

Describe interaction of fungi with other organisms

Answer 13

Fungi may gain nutrients through parasitism of other organisms

Question 14

The frog problem related to fungi..

Disease name and description

Answer 14

Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease in amphibians, caused by the chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, a non-hyphal zoosporic fungus.

Question 15

Importance of fungi

Answer 15

• fungal spores cause allergies
• yeasts are used to make beer and bread
• antibiotic penicillin
• mushrooms eaten as food
• Amanita is poisonous mushroom
• Aspergillus is used to make soy sauce