Fungi

Kingdom Fungi
• A unique group of organisms that are heterotrophic by absorptive
means
• Secrete enzymes across their cell wall and absorb smaller organic
compounds

Kingdom fungi
• Eukaryotic, multicellular, absorptive heterotroph
• Decomposers
• Fungi secrete enzymes that break down organic matter outside their bodies; They
then absorb the nutrients.
• Cell walls made of CHITIN
• Classified based on the presence and types of sexual structures

Kingdom Fungi
Two Types
Saprotrophs/saprophyte: feed on dead
matter
Parasites: feed on the tissues of other
animals or plants
- athletes foot
- ringworm
- thrush

Ecological significance
• Some fungi are harmful, but many are beneficial
• Decomposers—break down dead plants and animals and return inorganic
nutrients back to plants; Fungi in the forest that decay wood play an important
role in the carbon cycle
• Food source
• Fermentation by yeasts—baking bread, brewing beer, making wine

Fungal Phylogeny
Movement onto land
Chytrids (1,000 species)
Zygomycetes (1,000 species)
Glomeromycetes (160 species)
Ascomycetes (65,000 species)
Basidiomycetes (30,000 species)
Hyphae 25 m
25 m
Fungal hypha

Fungal diversity
• 5 phyla
• Chytridiomycota—swimming spores—have
flagella
• Ascomycota—spores in sacs—make antibiotics
• Basidiomycota—spores on club-like structures—
mushrooms and club fungi
• Glomeromycota—no sexual spores—symbiosis
with plants
• Zygomycota—zygospores—bread mold, Rhizopus

Fungal Anatomy
Chitin: cell walls of
fungi are reinforced
with this major
support compound
Spores: reproductive
structure of fungi

Fungal Anatomy

All fungal bodies are made of hyphae forming a mass
called the Mycelium

Mycelium-a mass of hyphae

Nutritional Mode: Heterotrophs
nutrients
Extracellular Digestion

Terminology
• Hyphae
• Mycelium

Terminology
Sporocarp – Fruiting body of the fungus that produces
the spores.
• Each of the phyla are distinguish by the types of spores and
sporocarps
Basidocarp Ascocarp Zygomycota

Chytridomycota (Chytrids)
• Thought to be the most
ancient group
• Once grouped within Protista
• Aquatic
• Zoospores: flagellated spores
• Asexual or sexual
• Parasitize protists, plants, and
animals

Zygomycota (Zygote Fungi)
• Considered the 1st fungi to
colonize terrestrial habitats
• Can reproduce sexually or
asexually
• Asexual reproduction
occurs through
sporangiospores

Zygomycota (zygomycetes)
• Most common method of reproduction is with ball
like sporangia which produce spores through meiosis
• Commonly called mold
• Rhizopus (genus)

Zygomycota (zygomycetes)

Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
• Mushrooms, Shelf Fungi,
Puffballs, Rusts
• Long lived mycelium stage
• Sexual reproduction:
• Occurs in the fruiting body
known as the basidiocarp
• Produces basidiospores
• Contains mychorrizae

Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
The massive amounts of
hyphae/mycelium can
obtain lots of energy, so
quick production of the
fruiting bodies occurs in
optimal conditions

Basidiomycota (basidiomycetes)
• Sexually basidiospores on club-shaped hyphae
• Largest and most conspicuous
• Mushrooms, toadstools, shelf fungi, puff ball fungi
• Decompose wood/plant material

Phylum
Basidiomycota
Coprinus
mushroom

Anatomy of a typical Basidiomycota
(Mushroom)
Cap
Gills
Stalk

Shelf Fungus

Amanita

Fairy Rings

Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
• Can reproduce sexually and
asexually
• Asci:
• Saclike structure that
produces sexual spores
• Ascocarps:
• Fruiting bodies where the asci
are found
• Conidia:
• Spores produced by
specialized hyphae that allow
for asexual reproduction

Ascomycota (ascomycetes)
• Sexually ascospores in ascocarps; “sac fungi”
Yeasts Morels Truffles

Ascomycota (ascomycetes)
Also called “sac fungi”
Asci- usually contain 8 ascospores,
produces by meiosis
Hymenium

Mychorrizae (Not a taxonomic group)
• Symbiosis
• Mutualism with Basidiomycota
• Enhance the nutrient absorption
of plant roots w/ extensive
hyphae.
• Fungi receives organic nutrients
synthesized by the plant

Lichens (Not a taxonomic group)
• Symbiotic relationship between a
fungus (usually Ascomycete) and
photosynthetic cell (either an algae or
cyanobacteria)
• Fungus houses algae and collects
nutrients, in return uses some of the
energy produced by photosynthesis

Lichen Anatomy

Lichens
3 types:
crustose: looks like crust on tree bark
foliose: looks like leaf material on bark
fruticose: look like miniature shrubs

Lichen: Foliose

Lichens: Crustose

Lichens: Fruticose

3 types of lichens on the same tree

Today’s lab
• Look at representatives of different phyla from the fungi kingdom
• Understand the differences between the phyla
• Be able to identify different parts of fungal anatomy