FUNGI

INTRODUCTION

• Fungi are saprophytic eukaryotic micro-organisms, distinct from plants and

animals.

• They possess nucleus, nuclear membrane, endoplasmic reticulum,

mitochondria and secretary apparatus.

• They are chemotrophic, secret enzyme that degrade a wide variety of organic
substances into soluble nutrients.

• which they absorb passively or taken into the cell by active transport.

• Most fungi are obligate or facultative aerobes.

 MORPHOLOGY
• Fungi range in size from microscopic unicellular organism to macroscopic mushrooms.

• They occur in two basic forms, as yeast and moulds.

• Moulds are multicellular filamentous fungi.

• They consist of branching cylindrical tubules called hyphae which varies in diameter from 2-
10µm.

• There are two forms of hyphae: vegetative and aerial.

• Vegetative hyphae penetrate the medium on which the mould is growing and are responsible
for absorption of nutrients.

• Aerial hyphae project from the surface of solid growth media and bears the reproductive cells.

• The intertwined hyphae that accumulates during active growth is called a mycelium.

• In some sp., hyphae wall is divided, and the hyphae is said to be septa, but if absent, the hyphae
is said to be coenocytic.
 MORPHOLOGY CONTINUE

• Yeasts are unicellular fungi.

• They are usually spherical to ellipsoid in shape and varying in diameter from
3-15µm.
• They reproduce by budding. Some species produce pseudo hyphae.
• Colonies are usually soft, opaque, 1-3mm in size and cream coloured.
•
 HABITAT
• Fungi are found where organic materials are available as nutrients.

• They are mainly terrestrial organism, while some sps are extremely versatile
metabolically and able to attack and destroy many kind of unlikely materials.

• Some sps are able to grow in concentration of salts, sugar or acids high
enough to kill most bacterial. Some can grow below the freezing point of
water.

• Their natural habitats can be water, soil and organics debris.

• Their reproductive cells are found all over the earth and is abundant in air.
 REQUIREMENT
• The basic requirements for fungi are organic source of carbon, in the form
of sugar or starch and the organic or inorganic source of nitrogen.

• Inorganic ions, such as potassium, magnesium and trace element of copper,

zinc and manganese, may also be necessary.

• Soil fungi rely on a variety of organic matter for their energy source,
including leaf litter and animal or vegetable organic debris.

• Some predacious soil fungi bear specialized structures for trapping

nematodes and rotifers.

• Many are parasitic on plants, animals and humans.

 STUCTURAL COMPOSITION

• Cell wall: It is rigid and determines their shape.

• Chemical composition of the cell walls varies between species, the age and the
morphology of the fungi.

• The wall is composed of 80 – 90% of carbohydrate, the rest being protein and lipids
and in some cases, sterol.

• The main structural polysaccharides include cellulose, chitin, manna and glucan.

• Chitin composed of N – acetyl glucosamine residues, linked together by β-1-4

glycosidic bonds.

• Its structure resembles cellulose, the main constituent found in plants.

 STUCTURAL COMPOSITION CONTINUE
• Cell wall has important pathobiologic properties.

• Its polysaccharides activates the complements cascade and provoke inflammatory

reactions.

• Cell wall release immuno-dominant antigens that may elicit cellular immune
responses and diagnostic antibodies.

• Some yeast and molds have melanized cell wall, imparting brown or black pigment.

• Studies show that melanin is associated with virulence.

• Cell membrane: It is composed of lipids, protein, 6% sterols, traces of nucleotides,

the carbohydrates glucan and manna.

• The presence of membrane sterols accounts for the specific toxicity of polyene
antibiotics against superficial infections in human.
 STUCTURAL COMPOSITION CONTINUE
• Antibiotic such as amphotericin B bind to the sterol in the membrane and induce
permeability changes.

• The cell membrane regulate osmotic pressure of the cell and diffusion of
substances.

• Cytoplasm: Cytoplasmic composition resembles that of higher plants and animal in

the structural organization.

• It contains the nucleus surrounded by a well-defined nuclear membrane.

• It also contains membranous mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes and

glycogen storage granules.

• Cytoplasmic vacuoles exist, especially at the hyphal tip .

• Vacuoles may form parts of the secondary system transporting enzymes required for
growth.
 CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI

• Fungi are classified according to structure and life cycle.

• They under go sexual and asexual cycle.

• They are classified into four.

1. Zygomycetes: they are coenocytic, reproduce sexually and asexually.

• They form zygospores by sexual cycle and spore by asxeual cycle. Examlpe
Rhizopus, Absidia and Mucor.

• Zygospore is produced by the fussion of equal size garments that have formed
within the gamentangia.

• spores produces in specialized structure known as sporangia that are borne on

hypha.
CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI CONTINUE
CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI CONTINUE

2. Basidiomycetes: Produce sexual spores on a specialized structure called a

basidium.

• They exist as moulds and yeasts, some are mushroom.

Ascomycetes: Exist in 2 forms, Yeast and Mould.

• Those in form of yeast undergo sexual reproduction to form ascus, a sac-like structure containing
ascospores; e.g. saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is essential for bread, wine and beer production.
CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI
CONTINUE
• Mould: Reproduce asexually by conidia to produce spores on the
conidiophore; e.g. Aspergillus and Penicillium.
•
CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI CONTINUE
4. Deuteromycetes: They a pathogenic to human. They undergo only asexual
cycle.
Example:
• Yeast such as Candida, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, and Torulopsis.

• Dermatophytes: Trichophyton, Macrosporum, Karatinomyces etc.

• Dimorphic fungi: Blastomyces, Histoplasma and Coccidiodes etc.
• Mould: Aspergillus, Penicillum, Geotrichum and Cephalosporium; etc
IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI IN MEDICINE

• The medical important fungi are deuteromycetes.

• They are divided into superficial and deep mycoses. They also cause
hypersensitivity reaction.

• Superficial Mycoses (Dermatophytoses).

• They infect the keratinized tissues such as the hair, skin and nails;
occasionally, they invade deeper tissues.

• They are classified into three generations:

• Epidermophyton.
• Microsporum.
• Trichophyton.

• They are transmitted by contact with infected individuals.

IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI IN MEDICINE
CONTINUE

• Fungi diseases are found in a particular area of the world.

• TrichophytonSchoenleinii is found in Mediterranean areas,.

• T. rubrum in tropical climates.
• T. mentagrophytes caused Athlete foot worldwide.
• T. violaceum and T. ferrugineum cause ring worm.

• Deep or Systematic Mycoses.

• Fungi infections that result from inhalation of airborne spores of pathogenic

moulds that may be present as saprophytes in soil and on plant materials.
IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI IN MEDICINE CONTINUE

• They are mostly caused by dimorphic fungi and occur mainly in the Americans.

• The most important of the systematic mycoses are

• Coccidoidomycosis (caused by C . immitis)
• Blastomycosis (caused by B . dermatitides)
• Histoplasmosis ( caused by H . capsulatum)
• Paracoccidioidomycosis (caused by P . Brasiliensis.

• limited to skin & lung but dissemination throughout the body can occur.

• The risk factor includes heredity, sex, age and compromised cell mediated
immunity.

• Aspergillus, candida and Cryptococcus species are more wide spread in

distribution.
IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI IN MEDICINE CONTINUE

• In transplant patient, opportunistic systemic mycosis is most frequent cause of mortality.

• In immunocompromised Candida species cause systemic candidosis.

• It is localized in the urinary track, liver, heart valve and cause endocarditis, meningitis or
peritoneal cavity and candidomia.

• Candida albicans accounts for most cases of systemic candidosis.

• candida tropicalis are increasingly implicate as opportunistic species.

• The lungs are most frequently affected by A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. flavus, A. teneus, A.
nidulans and A. spergillosis.

• Inhalation of aspergillus spores may lead to hyper sensitivity reaction.

• Yeast, Cryptococcus neoformans cause disease of the central nervous system, it disseminates
affecting meninges.
 PHARMACEUTICAL IMPORTANCE OF
FUNGI
• A large number of compounds from fungi have antimicrobial activities.

• These include Rugulosin, Palatin, Penicilin, Cephalosporin and penicilinic

acid.

• Penicilin products are produced from Penicilium notatum isolated by

Fleming in 1926 as a chance contaminant.

• Other derivatives of useful fungal therapeutic agents have antifungal

activities.

• Amphotericin B: metabolite of Streptomyces, has a broad spectrum and

development of resistance are rare..
 PHARMACEUTICAL IMPORTANCE OF
FUNGI.
• Mechanism of action, formation complexes with ergosterol in fungal cell
membrane, resulting in membrane damage and leakage.

• Most effective drug for severe systemic mycosis.

2. Griseofulvin: derived from Penicillum griseofulvum, it is used to treat

dermatophytosis and must be given for a long periods.

3. Ergot alkaloid: produce by contamination of rye with the moulds Claviceps

parpurea and C. paspali.

• A low dose alkaloids have effects on the central nervous system including
contraction of the smooth muscle of the uterus,

• its derivatives such as egometrine are used in obstetrics