True Fungi: Eumycota

General Questions:

1. What are the defining characteristics of true fungi, or Eumycota?

2. How do true fungi obtain nutrients, and what is their ecological role in nutrient cycling?

3. Name the different divisions of true fungi mentioned in the tutorial.

4. In what environments can true fungi be found, and how do they adapt to these conditions?

5. Explain the concept of mycorrhizae and its importance in plant-fungus interactions.

Fungal Diversity and Importance:

6. Provide an example of a true fungus that is used in biotechnology.

7. How do fungi contribute to the food industry, both positively and negatively?

8. Why are yeast models like Saccharomyces cerevisiae important in scientific research?

9. What is mycotoxicology, and why is it significant in the study of fungi?

10. How do fungi impact the recycling of critical constituents like carbon, nitrogen, and
phosphorus?

Fungal Structure and Reproduction:

11. Describe the key structural differences between yeasts and moulds.

12. Explain the process of asexual reproduction in fungi and provide examples of asexual
reproductive structures.

13. What is the role of spores in fungal reproduction, and how do they differ from other
reproductive structures?

14. Compare and contrast asexual and sexual reproduction in fungi. What are the advantages of
each?

Specific Divisions of True Fungi:

15. What is the primary ecological role of Chytridiomycota in nature?

16. How do Mucoromycota fungi affect carbohydrate-rich foods like bread?

17. Name one important industrial application of Rhizopus stolonifer.

18. What is the significance of Glomeromycotina in plant-fungus interactions?

19. Provide an example of a human pathogen among the Ascomycota.

20. Explain the life cycle of filamentous Ascomycetes, including both asexual and sexual
reproduction.

Fungal Pathogens and Impact:

21. What is ergotism, and how is it related to Claviceps purpura?

22. How do Aspergillus and Fusarium species impact food safety and human health?
23. What is the potential health concern associated with Stachybotrys, and why is it linked to
"sick building syndrome"?

24. Describe the role of Cryptococcus neoformans as a human pathogen.

25. How can Basidiomycota be both beneficial and harmful to humans?

26. Microsporidia and Fungal Superpowers:

27. What distinguishes microsporidia from classic fungi, and why are they considered obligate
intracellular parasites?

28. Name two human infections caused by microsporidia and their associated symptoms.

29. What is the function of the polar tube in microsporidian spore germination?

30. Why is the video "10 Fantastic Fungi Superpowers" relevant to the study of fungi and their
applications?

31. List three remarkable fungal superpowers mentioned in the video and briefly explain each.