L20 - A Carmichael - characteristics of fungi Flashcards
are fungi eukaryotyes?
yep
do fungi have a cell wall?
yep - polysaccharide
how do fungi reproduce?
form spores
Most fungi feed on …
Most fungi feed on dead plant material
Fungi are eukaryotes that have - 3 characteristics
- a membrane-bound nucleus containing several chromosomes
- genomic DNA that contains exons and introns (a typical yeast cell has about 6000 genes)
- a plasma membrane and cytoplasmic organelles
in fungi, cell membranes contain what molecues?
cell membranes contain steroid molecules called ergosterols
describe the fungal cell wall strucutre
mainly composed of polysaccharides (a glucan = a polymer of glucose residues; a mannan = a polymer of mannose residues).
inner layer of chitin microfibrils (chitin consists of long straight chains of β-1,4- linked N-acetylglucosamine residues)
outer layer of glucans (branched chains of β- 1,3-linked glucose residues) in which are embedded a variety of glycoproteins
label - fungal cell call wall structure
label fungal morphology
describe Yeasts
oval or round unicellular organisms that multiply by mitosis
2 types of mitosis yeasts undergo?
either symmetrical binary fission (e.g. Schizosaccharomyces pombe)
or asymmetrical budding (e.g. Candida, Cryptococcus)
Some yeasts can also form short cylinders called ________ (e.g. Candida)
Some yeasts can also form short cylinders called pseudohyphae (e.g. Candida)
describe Filamentous moulds
Filamentous moulds consist of a hypha (plural hyphae) which is a thin branching multicellular cylinder.
D: hypha
a thin branching multicellular cylinder
can hypha differ in form. strcuture?
A hypha can be septate in which a septum (partition) separates adjacent cells into interconnected compartments (e.g. Aspergillus); or aseptate in which there are many nuclei in a common cytoplasm (e.g. Mucor).
how to hypha continue to grow?
Hyphae exhibit apical growth by mitotis at the tip (apex) or at side branches
Hyphae can form an interwoven mass called a ______; when compacted together, layers of hyphae can form fungal tissue in macroscopic structures e.g. mushrooms.
Hyphae can form an interwoven mass called a mycelium; when compacted together, layers of hyphae can form fungal tissue in macroscopic structures e.g. mushrooms.
what are dimorphic fungi?
Describe symetrical binary fission of yeasts
describe asymmetrical budding
for hypha where does branching occur?
behind the tip
Fungi produce _____ ( to reproduce by)
Fungi produce spores
what are fungal spores
small tough light fungal cells that are adapted for dispersal to new habitats and/or survival in hostile environmental conditions.
characteristics of spores
thick walled
high energy content
low metabolic rate
low moisture content
Depending upon specific environmental conditions, a given fungus can exist in one of two states of differentiation, namely asexual or sexual, which determines how the spores are produced:
what are they
Asexual reproduction – spores produced by mitosis
Sexual reproduction – spores produced by fusion of two gametes
describe asexual reproduction
sproes produced by mitosis
- Yeasts produce internal endospores.
- others produce external spores called a conidium (plural condidia) on the outside of a hypha
- others produce internal spores inside a special hypha called a sporangium
asexual spores are for dispersal