Kingdom Fungi

• The characteristics
of fungi
• The evolution of
the fungi
• Fungal
classification
• Fungal life cycles
 The Characteristics of Fungi
• Body form
* unicellular
* filamentous (tube-like
strands called hypha
(singular) or hyphae
(plural)
* mycelium = aggregate
of hyphae
* sclerotium = hardened
mass of mycelium that
generally serves as an
overwintering stage.
* multicellular, such as
mycelial cords,
rhizomorphs, and fruit
bodies (mushrooms)
fruiting bodies

both are
composed
of hyphae

mycelium
 The Characteristics of Fungi
• Heterotrophy - 'other food'
* Saprophytes or saprobes - feed on dead
tissues or organic waste (decomposers)
* Symbionts - mutually beneficial
relationship between a fungus and
another organism
* Parasites - feeding on living tissue of a
host.
• Parasites that cause disease are called
pathogens.
Heterotrophic by Absorption
• Fungi get carbon from organic sources
• Hyphal tips release enzymes
• Enzymatic breakdown of substrate
• Products diffuse back into hyphae

Nucleus hangs back

and “directs”

Product diffuses back

into hypha and is used
 Hyphae

• Tubular
• Hard wall of chitin
• Crosswalls may
form compartments
(± cells)
• Multinucleate
• Grow at tips
Fungi as Saprobes and
Decomposers
Fungi as Symbionts (Mutualism)
 Mycorrhizae
• “Fungus roots”
• Mutualism between:
* Fungus (nutrient & water uptake for plant)
* Plant (carbohydrate for fungus)
• Several kinds
* Zygomycota – hyphae invade root cells
* Ascomycota & Basidiomycota – hyphae invade root but
don’t penetrate cells

• Extremely important ecological role of fungi

“Ecto”mycorrhizae

Russula
mushroom
mycorrhizas on
Western
Hemlock root
Mycorrhiza cross sections

Fungal hyphae
around root and
between cells
 Lichens
• “Mutualism” between
* Fungus – structure
* Alga or cyanobacterium –
provides food
• Three main types of lichens:
* Crustose lichens form flat
crusty plates.
* Foliose lichens are leafy in
appearance, although lobed or
branched structures are not true
leaves.
* Fruticose lichens are even more
finely branched and may hang
down like beards from branches
or grow up from the ground like
tiny shrubs.
Fungi as Parasites &
Pathogens
 Fungi are Spore
• Spores - asexual (product of
mitosis) or sexual (product of
meiosis) in origin.
• Purpose of Spores
* Allows the fungus to move
to new food source.
* Resistant stage - allows
fungus to survive periods of
adversity.
* Means of introducing new
genetic combinations into a
population
 Reproduce by spores
• Spores are reproductive cells
* Sexual (meiotic in origin)
* Asexual (mitotic in origin)
• Formed:
* Directly on hyphae
* Inside sporangia
* Fruiting bodies

Penicillium hyphae
with conidia
Pilobolus sporangia
Amanita fruiting body
 Hyphal growth from spore

germinating
spore
mycelium

• Mycelia have a huge surface area

 The Characteristics of Fungi
• Fungus is often hidden from view. It grows
through its food source (substratum),
excretes extracellular digestive enzymes,
and absorbs dissolved food.
• Indeterminate clonal growth.
• Vegetative phase of fungus is generally
sedentary.
 The Characteristics of Fungi
• Cell wall present, composed of cellulose and/or chitin.
• Food storage - generally in the form of lipids and glycogen.
• Eukaryotes - true nucleus and other organelles present.
• All fungi require water and oxygen (no obligate anaerobes).
• Fungi grow in almost every habitat imaginable, as long as there
is some type of organic matter present and the environment is
not too extreme.
• Diverse group, number of described species is somewhere
between 69,000 to 100,000 (estimated 1.5 million species total).
 asci
basidia
zygosporangia

motile spores Classification

& Phylogeny
 Chytridiomycota – “chytrids”
• Simple fungi
• Produce motile spores -
zoospores
• Mostly saprobes and
parasites in aquatic habitats
• Could just as well be
Protists Chytridium growing on spores

Chytriomyces growing on pine pollen

 Zygomycota – “zygote fungi”
Rhizopus on strawberries

• Sexual Reproduction -
zygosporangia
• Asexual reprod. – common
(sporangia – bags of asexual
spores)
• Hyphae have no cross walls
• Grow rapidly
• Decomposers, pathogens, and
some form mycorrhizal
associations with plants

Rhinocerebral zygomycosis
 Sexual zygsporangium
with one zygospore

Asexual sporangium
with spores inside

Life cycle of Rhizopus

 Ascomycota – “sac fungi”

• Sexual Reproduction – asci

(sing. = ascus)
• Asex. Reprod. – common
• Cup fungi, morels, truffles
• Important plant parasites &
saprobes
• Yeast - Saccharomyces
• Decomposers, pathogens,
and found in most lichens
A cluster of asci with spores inside
Sac fungi diversity
 Basidiomycota – “club fungi”
• Sexual Reproduction – basidia
• Asexual reprod – not so
common
• Long-lived dikaryotic mycelia
• Rusts & smuts –plant parasites
• Mushrooms, polypores,
puffballs, boletes, bird’s nest
fungi
• Enzymes decompose wood,
leaves, and other organic
materials
• Decomposers, pathogens, and
some form mycorrhizal
associations with plants SEM of basidia and spores
 Hyphal fusion mycelium and fruiting
of haploid body are dikaryotic
haploid
mycelia
mycelium

Mushroom
Life Cycle
N 2N N+N

Meiosis
Nuclear
fusion in
basidium
young basidia - the
only diploid cells
Bioluminescence in Mycena
 Yeasts
• Single celled fungi
• Adapted to liquids
* Plant saps
* Water films
* Moist animal tissues

Candida
Saccharomyces
 Molds
• Rapidly growth
• Asexual spores
• Many human importances
* Food spoilage
* Food products
* Antibiotics, etc.

Noble Rot - Botrytis

Fig 31.21 Antibiotic activity
HUMAN-FUNGUS INTERACTIONS

• Beneficial Effects of Fungi

* Decomposition - nutrient and carbon recycling.
* Biosynthetic factories. Can be used to produce drugs, antibiotics,
alcohol, acids, food (e.g., fermented products, mushrooms).
* Model organisms for biochemical and genetic studies.
• Harmful Effects of Fungi
* Destruction of food, lumber, paper, and cloth.
* Animal and human diseases, including allergies.
* Toxins produced by poisonous mushrooms and within food (e.g.,
grain, cheese).
* Plant diseases.