MI2011: Fungi

Question 1

List structural characteristics of fungi

Answer 1

• eukaryotic
• mitochondria
• chitin
• unicellular and multicellular

Question 2

Do fungi have peptidoglycan?

Answer 2

No

Question 3

List growth/nutritional characteristics of fungi

Answer 3

• asexual/sexual reproduction
• grow without free water in humid conditions
• grow vegetative without sexual cycle
• interact in symbiotic relationships
• absorb nutrients

Question 4

During times of starvation or stressful conditions, would it be more beneficial for the fungi to produce asexually or sexually?

Answer 4

Sexually.

- allows changing of gene expression to survive in hard times

Question 5

What are the two categories of unicellular fungi?

Answer 5

Dimorphic fungi and yeasts

Question 6

How do yeast replicate?

Answer 6

Budding or fission

Question 7

Differentiate between budding and fission

Answer 7

fission: splitting of a cell into two
budding: uneven divide of a cell into two

Question 8

What are some structural characteristics of multicellular fungi?

Answer 8

• hyphae (septate/non-septate)
• mycelium
• vegetative hyphae
• aerial hyphae
• asexual/sexual spores
• pigmented

Question 9

A mass of hyphae that provides support by embedding into substrate and absorb nutrients

Answer 9

Mycelium

Question 10

What is key for differentiation of septate and aseptate hyphae?

Answer 10

Presence of septum

Question 11

What area of the hyphae is the region for active growth?

Answer 11

The tip (the extension zone)

Question 12

What can occur if you break hyphae apart?

Answer 12

Segments may make multiple new colonies asexually

Question 13

What are two key structural characteristics of hyphae?

Answer 13

protoplasm and rigid walls

Question 14

What are macroscopic fungi?

Answer 14

• mushrooms
• filamentous macroscopic fungi
• exist as mycelium
• in favourable environ conditions form fruiting bodies

Question 15

sexual spores formed within a closed sac

Answer 15

ascospores

Question 16

sexual spores formed on the end of a club shaped structure

Answer 16

basidiospores

Question 17

sexual fusion of hyphae and genetic exchange producing visual structures

Answer 17

zygospores leads to meiospores

Question 18

asexual spores produced in a chain at the end of a conidiophore

Answer 18

conidium

Question 19

what asexual spores are produced from fragmentation of septate hyphae

Answer 19

arthrospores

Question 20

asexual spores that round of an enlarged section inside a hyphae

Answer 20

chlamidospores

Question 21

asexual spores formed in a sac at the end of aerial hyphae

Answer 21

sporangiospores

Question 22

If you were to grow fungi in the label what growth requirements would you have to account for?

Answer 22

• acidity
• moisture and water potential
• aerobic or facultative anaerobic
• yeast

Question 23

What typical agar is used to support growth of fungi?

Answer 23

potato-carrot dextrose agar

Question 24

List the phyla of fungi

Answer 24

chytriodmycota
zygomycota 
glomeromycota 
ascomycota 
basdiomycota

Question 25

Glomeromycota

Answer 25

• essential for terrestrial ecosystem
• mutualistic symbionts
• produce ONLY asexually
• promotes acquisition of minerals from soil to plant

Question 26

Chytridomycota

Answer 26

• motile zoospores
• unicellular or filamentous
• aquatic
• haploid and diploid life cycle
• free living and parasitic

Question 27

Zygomycota

Answer 27

• role in food spoilage
• asexual and sexual
• produce zygospores, produces sporangium, releases meiospores
• sporangiospores (asexual)

Question 28

Basidiomycota

Answer 28

• septate hyphae: often clamp connection
• basidiospores
• asexual and sexual (mushroom shape)
• haploid mycelium vegetative growth in soil/leaf litter

Question 29

What stage of life cycle of basidiomycota promotes the mushroom shape?

Answer 29

dikaryotic stage sexual reproduction

Question 30

Ascomycota

Answer 30

• disease importance
• aquatic and terrestrial
• lichen symbiotes
• filamentous and yeasts

Question 31

Asexual reproduction of ascomycota

Answer 31

• conidia produce condiophores

- budding

Question 32

Sexual reproduction of ascomycota

Answer 32

• produce asci

- fruiting body called ascocarp