Fungi
1
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
2
3 Main Characteristics
1. Feeding:
Fungi release chemicals that digest the
substance on which they are growing
and then they absorb the digested food
3
3 Main Characteristics
1. Feeding:
• Some obtain food through a symbiotic
relationship – either parasitic or
mutualistic
• Many are decomposers (break down
dead organisms)
4
3 Main Characteristics
2. Structure:
• A few, such as yeast, are unicellular
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- Baker's Yeast
5
Photo by: Bob Blaylock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:20100911_2323
23_Yeast_Live.jpg
3 Main Characteristics
2. Structure:
• Most are multicellular, made up of threadlike tubes called hyphae
• Hyphae can grow quickly (up to 40 meters
per hour)
6
Photo by: Bob Blaylock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:20100815
_1818_Mold.jpg
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
7
Trametes versicolor
Photo by ZEISS Microscopy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeissmicro/7138582265/
Non-septate Hyphae
Racette
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
8
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
9
3 Main Characteristics
Reproduction: Fruiting Bodies
Scarlet Elf Cup
Earthstar
Photo by Ian
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ian-s/6793005874/
Photo by Josef F. Stuefer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geastrum_triplex.jpg
Stinkhorn
Photo by: Birger Fricke
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phal
lus_impudicus_Stinkmorchel.jpg
10
Amanita muscaria
(Fly Agaric)
Photo by Hans Hillewaert
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amanita_
muscaria_(fruiting_body).jpg
Truffle
PublicDomain:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tr
uffe_noire_du_P%C3%A9rigord.jpg
3 Main Characteristics
Reproduction: Fruiting Bodies
Black Morel
Photo by Beentree
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Morchella_
conica_1_beentree.jpg
Coral Fungus
Photo by: Dan Molter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Clavaria_zolli
ngeri_90973.jpg
Bread Mold
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Public domain
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moldy_ol
d_bread.JPG
Polypores
Photo by: Cayce from Malaysia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fungi_in_Borneo
.jpg
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 Fungi
1. Mushrooms:
• Fruiting bodies: above ground, shaped like
umbrellas
• Vegetative portion: below ground, hyphae
13
Forms of Fungi
1. Mushrooms:
Public domain: http://pixabay.com/en/mushroomsbavarian-forest-plant-222254/
Lactarius indigo
Photo by: Dan Molter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lactarius_indigo_48568_edit.jpg
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Public Domain:
http://pixabay.com/en/k%C5%99emen%C3%A1%C4%8
D-les-sponge-mushrooms-112156/
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
15
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
Budding Yeast Cells
Public Domain:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:S_cerevisia
e_under_DIC_microscopy.jpg
16
Forms of Fungi
Molds
• 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 Tomato
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Photo by: Calimo
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mold_
on_tomatoes_(macro).jpg
Blue Cheese
Public Domain:
http://pixabay.com/en/stilton-bluecheese-blue-mold-mold-3491/
Mold on a Clementine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mouldy_Cl
ementine.jpg
Forms of Fungi
Molds
• Penicillium is a
mold that
produces
penicillin
(Discovered by
Sir Alexander
Fleming)
• http://botit.botany.
wisc.edu/toms_fu
ngi/nov2003.html
Photo by: Dr. Sahay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
ki/File:Penicillium_Spp..j
pg
Sir Alexander Fleming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Synthetic
_Production_of_Penicillin_TR1468.jpg
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Penicillium chrysogenum: source of penicillin
Photo by: Crulina 98 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Penicillium_notatum.jpg