BIO103

Basic characteristics of fungi

Cell wall
Eukaryotic made of
chitin

Lacks Produce
chlorophyll; not spores
photosynthetic
Very tough –
resistant to
Heterotrophs –
osmotic effects,
decomposers,
tolerate wide
parasites,
range of
mutualists
temperature
 Fungi reproduce via spores – dust-like,
nonmotile haploid microscopic cell.

Spores produced by fruiting bodies.

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Fungal organisation
Germination of spore
produces fine mycelium
with threadlike structures
called hyphae.
Hyphae Mycelium, a highly branched hyphae
Basic fungi life cycle
 Sexual reproduction usually
by fusion of 2 haploid (1n)
hyphae.

Fusion of cytoplasm without

fusion of nucleus produces
dikaryotic (n+n) cell – cell
with 2 haploid non-fused
nuclei.

Fusion of nucleus produces

diploid zygote (2n).

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 Sexual reproduction usually by
fusion of 2 haploid (1n)
hyphae.

Fusion of cytoplasm without

fusion of nucleus produces
dikaryotic (n+n) cell – cell with
2 haploid non-fused nuclei.

Fusion of nucleus produces

diploid zygote (2n).

Hyphae that only contain one

nucleus – monokaryotic.

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Many hyphae are
coenocytic –
multicellular without
cell walls between cells.

Others have septa

between cellular spaces
containing one or more
nuclei.
 Phyla of Kingdom Fungi

Chytridio- Zygo- Asco- Basidio- Deutero-

mycota mycota mycota mycota mycota
 CHYTRIDIOMYCOTA

Generate flagellated cells at some

stage

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 Allomyces, a chytrid showing alternation of
generation
• 1n thallus bears male & female
gametangia – produce gametes by
mitosis
• Male & female gametes fuse to form
2n zygote.
• Zygote germinates to form 2n thallus
with 2 types of sporangia
• Zoosporangia – produce 2n zoospores
by mitosis, develop into 2n thallus
• Resting sporangia – undergo meiosis
to make 1n zoospores, develop in 1n
thallus
 ZYGOMYCOTA

• Most are decomposers

• Reproduce sexually & asexually
• Hyphae are coenocytic
• Eg: black bread mold Rhizopus stolonifer

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 Sexual reproduction of zygomycete

• Heterothallic – mycelium + / - type

• Close growing + & - hyphae induce
formation of gametangium, eventually
forming 2n zygote
• Zygote develops thick-walled
zygotosporagium & undergoes meiosis
to form aerial hyphae with sporangia at
the tip
• Sporangia release spores, spores
germinate to produce 1n hyphae
 Asexual reproduction of zygomycete

• Most common
• Hyphae forms sporangia
• Sporangia produce asexual spores by
mitosis
 ASCOMYCOTA
• Sac fungi – refers to asci, which carr y the
sexual spores
• Eg: yeast, powder y mildew, cup fungi, morels,
truffles
• Cause Dutch elm disease, ergot disease on r ye,
chestnut blight

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Powdery mildew Truffles Ascocoryne
Dutch elm disease Ergot disease Chestnut blight
 Sexual reproduction of ascomycete
• Two 1n mating structures of different
mating type (+/-) come together,
cytoplasm fused but not the 2 nuclei to
produce n+n hyphae
• n+n hyphae develop into ascus / asci
• 1n hyphae surrounds asci to form
ascocarp
• Within ascus, the 2 nuclei fuse
producing 2n zygote
• Zygote undergoes meiosis & mitosis to
produce 8 1n ascospores
• Ascopores released to be carried by the
wind
 Asexual reproduction of ascomycete

At the tip of specialized hyphae,

conidiophore, asexual spores
(conidia) are produced
 Reproduction of yeast, an ascomycete

• Two 1n yeasts fuse to form 2n

zygote.
• Zygote undergoes meiosis to
form 1n spores.
• Spores germinate & start to bud
again
 BASIDIOMYCOTA
• Common mushrooms, toadstool, smut, rusts of
cereal crops
• Develop club-shaped basidium to carr y spores

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Bracket fungus Toadstool Rust fungus on a leaf
 Sexual reproduction of basidiomycete
• Different mating type of 1n primary
mycelia fused, producing n+n
secondary mycelium
• When conditions favourable,
compact masses (buttons)
developed along the mycelium
• Mushroom (basidiocarp) grows out
of button
 Sexual reproduction of basidiomycete
• Lower surface of basidiocarp is filled
with gills that consists of n+n
basidia
• Within basidium, the 2 nuclei fused
to produce 2n zygote
• Zygote undergoes meiosis
producing 4 1n nuclei. The nuclei
developed into basidiospores
outside basidium
 DEUTEROMYCOTA
• Imperfect fungi
• No sexual reproduction, only asexual
• Closely related to ascomycete
• Eg: Penicillium, blue-green mold on food

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 Lichen
• Mutualistic/parasitic relationship between
fungus & phototroph
✓ Fungus & green alga
✓ Fungus & cyanobacterium
• Phototroph provides nutrient to fungus, not
clear the benefit to phototroph from fungus
 Lichen

• Fungi in lichen can be an

ascomycete or basidiomycete
• Can tolerate extreme
temperatures
• Grow directly on rocks – secrete
acids that breaks down rocks
Types of lichen

1 2 3
Crustose lichen Foliose lichen Fruticose lichen
flat, grow tightly Grow tightly but leaf- Grow erect & have
against rocks, barks like branches
etc
 Lichen reproduction

• Produce spore-like soredia that

contain both fungus &
phototroph
• Soredia break off from lichen,
dispersed by wind & water
Most fungi are saprotroph –
decomposers.

Degrade difficult materials,

eg: cellulose, lignin
Some are mutualists with
plant roots (mycorrhizae).

Fungus increases surface

area of roots, roots supply
fungus with food.
Some are parasites, eg:
lichen, disease-causing fungi.

Some cause plant diseases;

very damaging to crops.

Parasitic fungi produce

specialized hyphae
(haustoria) that penetrate
host cells & obtain nutrients.
Used to make food
products.

Eg: fermented beverages

(wine, beer etc), bread,
cheeses, soy sauce etc.
Directly edible.

Eg: mushrooms,
truffles, morels.
Have medicinal value. Eg:
cholesterol drug, fungal
inhibitor, induce labor,
treat blood pressure etc.

Some produce
hallucinogens & toxins.
Eg: psilocybin fungi.