all about Fungi

1. KingdomFungi

2. Fungi (Fungus = singular)
 A group of spore-producing organisms feeding on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and
toadstools.
 Like plants, are multicellular and eukaryotic.
 Like animals, are heterotrophic organisms. But unlike animals, fungi digest food outside their bodies into a
form which they can absorb.
Fungi can thrive anywhere as long as an organic matter is present.
 They are classified into the following:
a. Symbiotic fungi – in which some plants depend on for their needed soil nutrients
b. Beneficial fungi – provide numerous drugs (such as penicillin and other antibiotics)
c. Edible species of mushrooms, truffles and morels
d. Pathogenic disease-causing forms

3. Fungi
 Many fungi are decomposers. Decomposers bring back the inorganic nutrients
from remains of all living things to the soil. Where organic matter accumulates,
fungi can surely be found there.
 Some fungal species are parasitic. Parasitic fungi have two forms of growth— the
mold-like form that produces hyphae or the yeast-like form that produces by
budding.
 In both methods of acquiring nutrients, the organic matter is digested outside and
the final products formed are absorbed.

4. The Structure of Fungus
 The body of fungus is described as mycelium. Mycelium is a mass of thread-like filaments
called hyphae (singular hypha).
 Coenocytic Hypha - form one long cell with many nuclei. They are the more primitive form
of hyphae; or it may appear as a chain of many cells.
 Septate Hypha – Contains a nucleus and surrounded by a cytoplasm and enclosed by a cell
wall

5. Reproduction of Fungi
 Fungi reproduce asexually by spore formation and budding. The asexual spores are formed
on specialized hypha by subsequent cell division. When the spores germinate, they become
organisms that are genetically identical to the parent.
 Sexual Spores result from the fusion of the nuclei from two opposite mating strains of the
same species of fungi. The organisms that develop from sexual spores possess the genetic
characteristics of the two parental strains.
 Spores are structures that are resistant to extreme temperature, pH and other adverse
environmental conditions.

6. Different Phyla of Fungi
 Fungi are classified according to the nature spore-bearing and the type of sexual spores
produced
o Phylum Zygomycota – has 3 types of coenocytic hyphae.
~The ascending hypha called sporangiophore that bears with asexual spores called
sporangiospores.
~The horizontal hypha called stolon that grows over the surface of the nutrient medium
~The descending hypha called rhizoid that vertically penetrates the nutrient medium
Example of Phylum Zygomycota is the black bread mold.

7. Different Phyla of Fungi
o Phylum Ascomycota- this includes fungi with septate hyphae and some yeast.
~Conidiospores- the asexual spores that are held in specialized hypha called conidiophores detach
freely from the chain at the slightest disturbance and float in the air like dust.
*examples are mildews and morels
~Ascospores- the sexual spores are formed from the fusion of the nuclei of two cells that are either
structurally similar or different. Held in a sac-like structure called ascus.
o Phylum Basidiomycota- Formed externally on a club shaped container known as basidium. Some
basidiomycota produce asexual spores in specialized hyphae called conidia.
*examples are puffballs, bracket fungi, smuts, and rusts.
~some fungi, however, lost their ability to produce spores sexually. They are described as the imperfect
fungi. *examples are aspergillus, penicillium, and tinea species

8. Different Phyla of Fungi
o Yeats- fungi that lack mycelia and, thus, they appear as individual cells. These fungi reproduce
by budding, but occasionally perform spore formation.
~Pseudohypha produces spores called chlamydospores.
o Lichens- in reality consist of two kinds of organisms: an algaand a fungusthat live in symbiosis with
each other. They secrete organic acids that chemically weather rocks, and they accumulate nutrients
needed for plants growth.
~found on trees, concrete structures and rooftops