CHARACTERISTICS
• EUKARYOTIC
• MOST
MULTICELLULAR
• HETEROTROPHIC :
SAPROBES OR
PARASITIC
• BODY IS MADE OF
HYPHAE
• HAVE CELL WALLS
MADE OF CHITIN
• EARLIEST FUNGI
FOSSILS ARE
ABOUT 500
MILLION YEARS
OLD
• A FUNGUS IN
WASHINGTON
STATE COVERS AN
AREA OF 1500
ACRES
• FUNGI
REPRODUCE
ASEXUALLY AND
SEXUALLY, AND
ARE
CHARACTERIZED
BY THEIR
METHOD OF
REPRODUCTION
•
•
•
•
•
•
PROS
EDIBLE
DECOMPOSERS
BREADS
PENICILLUM
CYCLOSPORINE
PREFERRED OVER
BACTERIA FOR
GENETIC
ENGINEERING
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
CONS
ATHLETES FOOT
JOCK ITCH
YEAST
INFECTIONS
MOLDY BREAD
MILDEW
RINGWORM
SOME ARE TOXIC
HISTOPLASMOSIS
(95% in H.I.V. cases)
SICK BUILDING
SYNDROME
Fungi and History!
• Ergot is the common name of a
fungus that infects grains.
• Eating infected bread made
from the grains causes
Ergotism.
• Ergotism causes convulsions,
mental disturbances, and
perceptual distortions.
• Women accused of witchcraft
in the 1600’s may have been
suffering from Ergotism!
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
DIVISIONS
ZYGOMYCOTA
ASCOMYCOTA
BASIDIOMYCOTA DEUTEROMYCOTA
ZYGOSPORES
ASCOSPORES
BASIDIOSPORES
UNKNOWN
• 600 SPECIES
• COMMONLY
FOUND IN SOIL &
DUNG
• MOLDS
Shotgun Fungus
• “SAC FUNGI”
• 30,000 SPECIES
• FOUND IN SOIL,
DUNG, ROTTING
LOGS, SALT AND
FRESH WATER.
• INCLUDES:
YEASTS, MORELS,
TRUFFLES
• “CLUB FUNGI”
• 25,000 SPECIES
• MOSTLY
TERRESTRIAL
• INCLUDES THE
MUSHROOMS,
TOADSTOOLS,
PUFFBALLS, SHELF
FUNGI, RUSTS AND
SMUTS
• ASEXUAL
REPRODUCTION IS
CALLED
FRAGMENTATION.
• THIS FORM OF
REPRODUCTION IS
RARE IN THIS
GROUP, EXCEPT IN
SOME RUSTS AND
SMUTS.
• “FUNGI
IMPERFECTI”
• 10,000 SPECIES
• TERRESTRIAL
• INCLUDES
ASPERGILLUS,
PENICILLUM,
ATHLETE’S FOOT,
& RINGWORM
More Parasitic Fungi