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Fungi

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General Characteristics of Fungi

• Range in size from unicellular to being the largest known living organism

• http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-largest-organism-is-fungus/

• Are a wide variety of shapes and colors

• All are heterotrophs• Have cell walls made of chitin

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3 Main Characteristics

1. Feeding:Fungi release chemicals that digest the substance on which they are growing and then they absorb the digested food

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3 Main Characteristics

1. Feeding:• Some obtain food through a symbiotic

relationship – either parasitic or mutualistic

• Many are decomposers (break down dead organisms)

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3 Main Characteristics2. Structure:• A few, such as yeast, are unicellular

Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Baker's Yeast

Photo by: Bob Blaylock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:20100911_232323_Yeast_Live.jpg

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3 Main Characteristics2. Structure:• Most are multicellular, made up of thread-

like tubes called hyphae• Hyphae can grow quickly (up to 40 meters

per hour)

Photo by: Bob Blaylock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:20100815_1818_Mold.jpg

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3 Main Characteristics

2. Structure:• Although multicellular,

there is little cell specialization and hyphae may be large multinuclear cells that are continuous or only incompletely divided

Trametes versicolorPhoto by ZEISS Microscopyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/zeissmicro/7138582265/

Non-septate HyphaeRacette

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3 Main Characteristics

3. Reproduction:• Many fungi reproduce by means of

spores• Fungal spores are tiny, reproductive

cells that are enclosed in a protective cell wall

• Spores are very small and light weight

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3 Main Characteristics

3. Reproduction:• Spores are produced in special

structures called fruiting bodies• Fruiting bodies may be simple or

complex• A single fruiting body may

produce trillions of spores

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3 Main CharacteristicsReproduction: Fruiting Bodies

Earthstar Photo by Josef F. Stuefer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geastrum_triplex.jpg

StinkhornPhoto by: Birger Fricke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phallus_impudicus_Stinkmorchel.jpg

Scarlet Elf Cup Photo by Ian

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ian-s/6793005874/

Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric)

Photo by Hans Hillewaert http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amanita_muscaria_(fruiting_body).jpg

TrufflePublicDomain:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Truffe_noire_du_P%C3%A9rigord.jpg

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3 Main CharacteristicsReproduction: Fruiting Bodies

Coral FungusPhoto by: Dan Molter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Clavaria_zollingeri_90973.jpg

Bread Mold Public domain http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moldy_old_bread.JPG

PolyporesPhoto by: Cayce from Malaysia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fungi_in_Borneo.jpg

Black MorelPhoto by Beentree

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Morchella_conica_1_beentree.jpg

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Forms of Fungi

• The scientific classification of fungi is complex with over 60,000 known species divided into four taxonomic Divisions

• For discussion purposes fungi may be loosely grouped into 3 groups (mushrooms, yeasts and molds) but many species do not fit into these groups.

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Forms of Fungi1. Mushrooms:• Fruiting bodies: above ground, shaped like

umbrellas• Vegetative portion: below ground, hyphae

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Forms of Fungi1. Mushrooms:

Lactarius indigoPhoto by: Dan Molter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lactarius_indigo_48568_edit.jpg

Public domain: http://pixabay.com/en/mushrooms-bavarian-forest-plant-222254/

Public Domain: http://pixabay.com/en/k%C5%99emen%C3%A1%C4%8D-les-sponge-mushrooms-112156/

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Forms of Fungi

Yeasts• Unicellular• Produce carbon dioxide as they grow (a

by-product of respiration)• Used to produce bread, fuel, vitamins,

alcoholic beverages, chemicals and medicines

• Some can cause disease

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Forms of Fungi

Yeasts• Reproduce by budding-when a portion of the

yeast cell pushes out of the cell wall and forms a bud that eventually breaks away to form a new yeast cell

Public Domain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:S_cerevisiae_under_DIC_microscopy.jpg

Budding Yeast Cells

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Forms of FungiMolds• Fuzzy, shapeless, fairly flat fungi that grow on

the surface of an object• Used to make many foods such as some

cheeses and soy sauce

Mold on a TomatoPhoto by: Calimo http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mold_on_tomatoes_(macro).jpg

Blue CheesePublic Domain: http://pixabay.com/en/stilton-blue-cheese-blue-mold-mold-3491/

Mold on a Clementinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mouldy_Clementine.jpg

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Forms of Fungi

Molds• Penicillium is a

mold that produces penicillin (Discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming)

• http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/nov2003.html

Photo by: Dr. Sahayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Penicillium_

Spp..jpg

Penicillium chrysogenum: source of penicillinPhoto by: Crulina 98 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Penicillium_notatum.jpg

Sir Alexander Fleminghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Synthetic_Production_of_Penicillin_TR1468.jpg