Phylum Basidiomycota Flashcards
Life strategies of most basidiomycota?
saprophytes
most are ECM
some plant parasites and pathogens (rusts and smuts)
T or F: some basidiomycetes are poisonous
true
T or F: basidiomycetes share some features (and a common ancestor) with ascomycetes
true
What features do basidiomycetes share with ascomycetes?
haploid nuclei in vegetative hyphae (aka monokaryotic)
chitin in hyphal cell walls
regularly septate hyphae with pore(s) in the septa
anastomosis of vegetative hyphae possible (non-meiotic recombination to produce genetic variability in asexual life phases)
dikaryotic life cycle phase
produce teleomorphs (sporophores)
produce anamorphs
What are the unique/identifying features of Basidiomycota?
the septa type and septal pores
extended dikaryotic phase
clamp connections
basidium and basidiospores
Describe the general structure of basidiomycete hyphae
regularly septate with septal pore(s) that may vary between species
Can you see basidiomycete hyphae septate pores with the naked eye?
no, only with an electron microscope
What are Holobasidiomycetes?
a class of Basidiomycota that consists of mushrooms and polypores
What are Phragmobasidiomycetes?
a class of Basidiomycota that consists of jelly fungi
Describe the septa pore structure of Holobasidiomycetes and Phragmobasidiomycetes
mushrooms and polypores, and jelly fungi, have septa with a DOLIPORE (central barrel-shaped structure) that is covered by a cap of membrane called a parenthesome
What is a dolipore?
the central, barrel- shaped septa pore found in Holobasidiomycetes and Phragmobasidiomycetes
it is covered by a parenthesome (membrane cover on both sides)
Describe the septal pore structure of Teliomycetes (Basidiomycetes, rust fungi)
a simple pore that is often blocked by a pulley-wheel occlusion
How do the septal pore structures of most Ascomycetes differ from yeast-like Ascomycetes and from Holobasidiomycetes, Phragmobasidiomycetes and Teliomycetes?
most Ascomycetes: central pore in septa open, but Woronin body is ready to cover if needed
yeast Asco: septa with many perforations from micropores
Holo + Phragmo: central-barrel shaped dolipore with membrane cap on either side
Telio: simple pore with a pulley wheel block
What are Teliomycetes?
a class of Basidiomycetes that include rust fungi
What does it mean that Basidiomycetes have an extended dikaryotic phase?
in comparison to Ascomycete teleomorphs that have a short-lived dikaryotic phase (in the ascogenous hyphae in the forming ascoma)
Basidiomycetes live and grow as a dikaryon for long time periods withOUT producing sexual structures - ie., dikaryon formation does not immediately cause sexual reproduction (formation of basidiospores)
T or F: both Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes can have dikaryotic anamorphs
false, only basidiomycetes
Explain how fairy rings are an example of an extended dikaryotic phase in Basidiomycetes
A fairy ring of dikaryotic basidiomycetes grow out radially from the central point where 2 compatible haploid nuclei mated
these can persist for years/decades and form ECM with host trees
Give an example of species that can produce fairy rings
Agaricus campestris, Marasmius oreades
Are the mushrooms growing above ground in a fairy ring the same or different genetic individuals?
the same, one genotype = clones
What are clamp connections? what is the function?
clamp connections are structures at the base of the basidium and each septum in dikaryotic hyphae
they function to pair different nuclei - ensures that different nuclei are in one individual (dikaryon)
What is the basidium?
the cell of Basidiomycetes where karyogamy and meiosis occur to produce haploid sexual spores (basidiospores)
What are basidiospores?
the haploid sexual spores formed by basidia via karyogamy and meiosis
What is the Ascomycete analogy to clamp connections in Basidiomycetes?
Crozier - located at the base of a forming ascus in the hymenium of an ascoma
What makes basidiomycete vegetative hyphae dikaryon?
the presence of clamp connections
Do all basidiomycetes have hyphae with clamps? give examples
no, boletes do not have clamps in their hyphae or haploid monokaryons
How many basidiospores does one basidium usually produce? From what structure of the basidium?
one basidium usually produces 4 haploid basidiospores at the tips of the sterigmata (prongs) projecting from the top of the basidium
What is a sterigma (s.)?
a prong that projects from the top of a basidium and holds a basidiospore
usually there’s 4 sterigmata (pl.), each with a basidiospore
spores shot actively from the sterigmata
T or F: all basidiomycetes have an active basidiospore releasing mechanism
False, some like hypogeous species or puff-balls use other mechanisms
How many haploid basidiospores does one basidium produce?
usually 4 haploid basidiospores, but some basidiomycetes produce only 2
What structures of mushroom species of Basidiomycota produce basidia?
the gill surface has a hymenium layer that produces basidia
How many spores do gilled basidiomycetes produce (a lot or few)?
A LOT - Agaricus campestris can produce 40 million spores/hour
Describe some benefits of Basidiomycota
nutrient recycling - they are often saprobes (wood decomposers) - decompose recalcitrant material like lignin
they can form ECM - restoration, reforestation
bioremediation
edible - wild and cultivated
therapeutic - Ganoderma lucidum, Trametes versicolor
WHat are 3 costs of basidiomycetes?
cause some significant tree and plant diseases
cause structural damage to wood frame buildings
human pathogens
Give an example of species that provide ecosystem services related to decomposing wood and lignin
Trametes versicolor, turkey tail white rot fungi decompose lignin
Give an example of species that can be used in bioremediation
Lentinula edodes, shiitake
these white-rot fungi can break down persistent human-made chemicals similar to lignocellulose (low specificity of enzymes)