Lab 12 Fungi Flashcards
Fungi habitat
Widely distributed
Environment:
Soil, water, air, decaying material
Animal, human: skin, mucous membranes, gut
Fungi morphology
Uni- or multicellular
3-100 mm
Branching
Fungi cell wall
Chitin, hemicellulose, mucopolysaccharide, protein, lipid
Imparts rigidity and osmotic stability
Fungi septa
Cross walls
Often present in hyphae (central pore)
Components of fungi cell structure
Cell wall Septa Cytoplasmic membrane (ergosterol) Nuclear membrane Nucleus Nucleolus Ribosomes ER Mitochondria Lomasome
Difference between moulds and yeasts
M: grow as branching filaments called hyphae: mycelium
Y: oval cells: colonies in a agar plate
Dimorphic
Can occur in both mould form and yeast form, depending on temperature
Fungi resistance
Sexual spores > asexual spores > vegetative parts
Good resistance
Dehydration: years
High osmotic pressure
Low pH
Fungi staining
Unstained
Simple staining: methylene blue
Yeasts are gram pos
PAS: tissue sections
Skin/hair scraping: 10% KOH
Transparent adhesive tape technique
Fungi reproduction sexual spores
Zygospora: two hyphae cells
Ascospora: ascus
Basidiospora: on club shaped structures: basidium
General characteristics of fungi
Eukaryotes Non-photosynthetic Produces exoenzymes Obtains nutrients by absorption Degrades organic materials, recycling
Phylogenetic classification of fungi is based on…?
16s and 26s ribosomal RNA gene
Asexual spore formation
Two main types of spores: conidia and sporangiospores
Conidia are forms on conidiophores.
Sporangiospores are formed within sporangium
Fungi culture
Heterotrophic: organic C, organic/inorganic N
Sabouraud agar (pH 5.5)
Dimorphic fungi in yeast phase: blood agar
Most prefer pH 5-7 except Dermatophytes that need pH 7
Grow aerobically at 25C
Resistant to antimicrobial drugs that are effective against bacteria
Selective culture: Penicillin Chloramphenicol Streptomycin Cycloheximide
Incubation temp and time of Yeast, Aspergillus sp., and Zygomycetes
37C
1-4 days
Incubation temp and time of Dermatophytes
25C
2-4 weeks
Incubation temp and time of Dimorphic fungi in mould phase
25C
1-4 weeks
Incubation temp and time of Dimorphic fungi in yeast phase
37C
1-4 weeks
Fungi biochemical examinations
Yeasts, dermatophytes
Mycotoxin production
Production of antibiotics
Fungi antigens
Complex
Serological tests in systemic diseases (yeasts)
Identification of fungi is based on:
Morphology: micro- and macroscopically
Biochemical features: yeasts
Serological examinations
On basis of genotype: PCR
5 Phyla of fungi
Microspora Ascomycota Basidiomycota Blastocladiomycota Glomeromycota: major ecological importance, symbionts with plant roots
Fungi pathogenicity
Majority are saprophytes, some cause opportunistic infections
Dermatophytes are pathogens that cause ringworm
Saprophytes: environmental fungi, commensal fungi, fungi of the skin and gut (sometimes facultative pathogens)
Mycosis
Tissue invasion
Dermatomycosis
Candida sp., Malassezia pachydermatitis
Dermatophytosis
Invasion and destruction of keratinized structures
Microsporum sp., Trichophyton sp. (moulds)
Subcutaneous mucosis
Following penetration by foreign body
Systemic mycosis
Prolonged AB therapy, immunosuppression