GENERAL BIOLOGY II (BLY 102) - 3 Credits

FUNGI AND THEIR STRUCTURE

Dr Olayinka O. Elutade
Microbiology Programme
Bowen University, Iwo,
Osun State, Nigeria
 INTRODUCTION
• Fungi:
Are eukaryotic unicellular and multicellular organisms
The cells contain a membrane-bound nucleus, mitochondria and a
complex system of internal membranes, including the endoplasmic
reticulum and Golgi apparatus
Cells do not have chloroplasts or chlorophyll
Like plants, they have thick cell walls
However, their cell walls contain complex polysaccharides called
chitin; while cell walls in plants contain cellulose
chitin gives structural strength to the cell walls of fungi
There are two forms of body structures in fungi:
Unicellular forms
Multicellular forms
 Unicellular forms of fungi
• These are made up of
single cells called yeasts
Examples include:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
(baker’s yeast)
Candida species (the agents
of thrush, a common fungal
infection)
• Yeasts often inhabit moist
environments, including Figure 1: Yeast cells (Jin et al., 2018)
plant sap and animal
tissues, where there is a
ready supply of soluble
nutrients, such as sugars
and amino acids.
 Multicellular forms of Fungi

• The multicellular body structure

consists of filaments (end-to-end
arrangements) of cells
• Two stages of the morphological
multicellular forms are known:
 Vegetative:
 consists of a tangle of slender
thread-like structures called
hyphae (singular, hypha),
 Reproductive:
 Which can be more conspicuous
Figure 2: Filamentous arrangement of cells (Jin
et al., 2018)
 THE MYCELIUM

• Mycelium:
 Is a mass of hyphae
 Can grow on a surface, in
soil or decaying material, in
a liquid, or even on living
tissue
 Can consist of three types:
 Septate hyphae
 Non-septate hyphae
 Specialized hyphae

Fig. 1: The mycelium (Preparmy.com)

 Septate and Non-septate Hypha
• Septate hypha:
 Are hyphae with separate cells which
have endwalls called septa (singular,
septum)
 The tiny holes in the septa allow for the
rapid flow of nutrients and small
molecules from cell to cell along the
hypha
 Are also called perforated septa
 Examples include Aspergillus species,
Fusarium species
 Non-septate hypha:
 Are hyphae with large cells containing
many nuclei,
 Do not have endwalls or septa
 Are also called coenocytic hyphae or
aseptate hyphae
 Examples include Rhizopus species Fig. 2: Septate and Non-septate hypha
(Studyblue.com)
 Specialized Hyphae
• Haustoria:
 Is a specialized hyphae
 Which penetrate the
tissues of the host, release
digestive enzymes within
the host's body, and absorb
the digested nutrients

Haustoria (Biology-pictures.blogspot.com)
 Specialized Hyphae (Cont’d)
• Arbuscules:
Are specialized hyphae
That are in use to exchange
nutrients with their plant hosts
Such mutually beneficial
relationships between fungi and
plant roots are called
mycorrhizae (the term means
“fungus roots”)
Almost all vascular plants have
mycorrhizae and rely on their
fungal partners for essential
nutrients.
This is because the vast mycelial
networks of the fungi are more
efficient than the plants’ roots at
acquiring these minerals from
the soil.
Arbuscules (Valent USA.com)
 Reproduction in Fungi
• Asexual Reproduction:
 Some fungi only can reproduce asexually through mitosis
 May occur through such methods as budding, fragmentation
and spore formation
o Budding:
 Yeast cells reproduce asexually by budding
 A new cell develops while attached to the parent cell; the
plasma membrane pinches off to partially separate the new
individual from the parent cell
o Fragmentation:
 Occurs when the mycelium of a fungus is physically broken
apart or fragmented
 Can occur when an animal digs in the soil where a fungus is
growing
 When the fragments of mycelia land in a location with suitable
growing conditions, the hyphae will grow into new mycelia
 Reproduction in Fungi (Cont’d)
oSpore Production:
A spore is a reproductive
haploid cell with a hard outer
coat that develops into a new
organism without the fusion of
gametes.
Spores produce new hyphae
that eventually form a mycelium.
Some fungal spores are thin-
walled and germinate quickly;
others are thick-walled and take
longer periods of time to
germinate. Spore formation and germination in Rhizopus (Bread Mould)
[learninsta.com]
In sexual reproduction, the
fungi’s diploid, reproductive
structure produces haploid
spores by meiosis. These
spores form the next generation,
which grows into new mycelia.
Reproduction in Fungi (Cont’d)
oSpore Production (Cont’d):
Most fungi produce large quantities of spores as an adaptation
for survival
This adaption ensures that at least a small percentage of
spores will land in suitable locations and begin to grow,
producing the next generation
The spores are small and lightweight that wind and even the
smallest animals such as insets, can disperse them.
Each spore has a cell wall which is often tough and water-proof
so that the spore can survive extreme temperature and
moisture
 The Diversity of Fungi
• Phylum Zygomycota:
 A common example is a common mould that
grows on bread and other foods called
Rhizopus stolonifera.
o Has a type of hyphae called stolon that
spreads across the surface of the food and
another type of hyphae called rhizoids which
anchors the mycelium, penetrates the food,
produces enzymes and absorbs the nutrients
o Reproduces asexually when sporangia form at
the upright tips of sporangiophores
o Reproduces sexually, under unfavourable
conditions, when haploid hyphae from two
compactible mating strains fuse to form a
gametangium.
 Importance of Fungi
• Are symbiotic partners in mycorrhizae
Fungi supply essential nutrients to plants and are enormously
important in natural ecosystems and agriculture.
• Are essential decomposers in ecosystems
Fungi, along with bacteria, break down organic matter and restock
the environment with vital nutrients essential for plant growth
• Production of foods and beverages
Yeasts are important in the production of alcoholic beverages and
bread
• Fungi have a number of culinary uses
Some mushrooms are cooked and eaten as human foods
• Production of medicine
For example, the antibiotic, penicillin, is produced from the fungi
Penicillium species