Kingdom Fungi• Eukaryotes• Cell wall made of chitin, a carbohydrate (same compound as exoskeleton of insects!!!!!)• Most multicellular: mushrooms, molds• Some unicellular: yeasts• Heterotrophs: - decomposers
- some parasites• Body made is made of filaments called hyphae• Reproduce using spores
Characteristics of Fungi• The body of a fungus is called a mycelium --a matt of thin,
tangled threads. • The individual thread like strands of cells are called hyphae. • Cell wall made of chitin a carbohydrate (same compound as
exoskeleton of insects!!!!!)
Hyphae are one cell thick but many cells long
Reproduction- Mushrooms
reproduce using spores
- Spores are small reproductive cells released from the gills
- Mushrooms can also reproduce when hyphae break off and grow on their own
Most fungi are decomposers. Break down organic material like dead
animals, plants, etc.They feed by releasing digestive enzymes
that break down organic compounds. The cells (hyphae) then absorb the digested compounds.
Some are parasites: Feed on other living organisms
• Athlete’s foot• Candida albicans (vaginal and mouth
yeast infections)
• Tinea pedis (Athlete’s foot)
• Candida albicans (yeast infection)
• Usually kept in check by competition with bacteria. This balance can be upset by antibiotics that kill the bacteria
Useful FungiSome Fungi produce antibiotics- Penicillium notatum makes Penicillin (antibiotic)- Grows naturally in some fruits -oranges
Fungi used to make cheese: Blue Cheese: Penicillium roquefortii is used to
make blue cheeses: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, etc.
The blue ‘stuff’ are spores: You eat millions in one bite!
Yeast: used to make bread, wine, beer- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baking). Unicellular- Yeasts use sugars as a source of energy during
respiration.- Their waste products are CO2 and alcohol
Lichens• Symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a
photosynthetic organism:-Algae (Protista) or Cyanobacteria (Eubacteria)
What lichens are really made of
Some mushrooms contain deadly toxins. Don’t touch unknown mushrooms! Hallucinogens in some (high doses deadly)Some poisonous Ohio mushrooms:
Importance of fungi to humans-- Diseases—e.g., yeast infections
with Candida cause thrush--Food spoilage—zygomycete bread
molds; ergot molds on wet grains (source of LSD; likely cause of witch hunts in Salem, MA/Europe) cause hallucinations.
--Plant pathogens like molds, smuts, rustsspecial hyphae to invade living plant tissue are called haustoria.
++Mychorrhizae allow more robust plant growth
++Succession restores soil (as after volcano erupts)
++Primary decomposers on land
++Food sources –mushrooms
++Fermentation of alcoholic beverages (alcoholic fermentation by yeasts)
The cellulase enzyme allows fungi to act as a decomposer, essential in every food web. The outer ring on this food web diagram shows how
decomposers link all levels of the food web.
Fossils of fungi are rare because…
a. their l
ate appearance
..
b. their l
ack of s
pecies d
i...
c. th
eir compositi
on of s...
d. their a
bility to
form
p...
0% 0%0%0%
a. their late appearance on the Geologic Time Scale
b. their lack of species diversity
c. their composition of soft materials
d. their ability to form protective spores
All fungi
make
their f
oo...
produce m
ushro...
absorb th
eir f...
have chlorophy..
.
0% 0%0%0%
a. make their food.b. produce
mushrooms.c. absorb their food.d. have chlorophyll.
Fungi do NOT
Carry out p
hotosynthesis.
digest food outsi
de thei...
grow on th
eir food so
urce.
d. abso
rb food th
rough ...
0% 0%0%0%
a. Carry out photosynthesis.
b. digest food outside their bodies.
c. grow on their food source.
d. absorb food through their cell walls.
Fungi resemble plants in that they both always
have stems.
are multice
llular.
grow fr
om the gr
ound.
d. have
cell w
alls.
0% 0%0%0%
a. have stems.b. are multicellular.c. grow from the
ground.d. have cell walls.
Stinkhorns, are mushrooms that mimic the odor of rotting meat. What do you think is the main mechanism or strategy used by this fungi to disperse its spores?
a. wind.
b. snow.
c. bird
s.
d. flies.
0% 0%0%0%
a. wind.b. snow.c. birds.d. flies.
Bread rises because fermentation by yeast produces
spores.
wate
r.
rhizo
ids.
carbon dioxide...
0% 0%0%0%
a. spores.b. water.c. rhizoids.d. carbon dioxide.
Which statement about Penicillium is correct
a. It pro
duces...
b. It ca
uses b...
c. It
is the s..
.
d. It ca
uses a...
0% 0%0%0%
a. It produces mushrooms.
b. It causes bread to rise.
c. It is the source of an antibiotic.
d. It causes athlete’s foot.
An important role of fungi in an ecosystem is
photosynthesis
...
makin
g alco
hol
breaking down ...
d. killi
ng bac...
0% 0%0%0%
a. photosynthesis.b. making alcoholc. breaking down
dead organisms.d. killing bacteria.
The breakdown of dead organisms is accelerated by the fungal production of
a. alco
hols.
b. dige
stive e...
c. acid
s.
d. recyc
led nu...
0% 0%0%0%
a. alcohols.b. digestive enzymes.c. acids.d. recycled nutrients.
The growth of yeasts in moist regions of the body is kept in check by competition from
antibiotics. ru
sts.
bacteria
.
d. mild
ews.
0% 0%0%0%
a. antibiotics.b. rusts.c. bacteria.d. mildews.
Which statement about lichens is correct?
a. They are not to
lerant ..
b. They c
annot m
ake the..
c. They g
row only in so
il.
d. They a
re composed of ..
0% 0%0%0%
a. They are not tolerant of harsh conditions.
b. They cannot make their own food.
c. They grow only in soil.d. They are composed
of an alga or a cyanobacterium and a fungus living together.
