Diversity of Life Term 1 Notes - Fungi

Diversity of Life Notes – Evolution and diversity of fungi:

Lecture 1 – Introduction to the fungi:

Fungi:

 Any group of unicellular, multicellular, or multinucleate non-photosynthetic
organisms feeding on organic matter, which include moulds, yeast,
mushrooms and toadstools.
 Distributed almost everywhere. In/on plants, in/on animals, salt and fresh
water, airborne spores etc.

Eukaryotic microorganisms:

 Membrane-enclosed nucleus.
 DNA in chromosomes.
 Meiosis and mitosis.
 Organelles such as mitochondria, golgi and endoplasmic reticulum.
 Cytoskeleton.

Differences between fungi and plants:

 Fungi are heterotrophs.
 Fungi have filamentous bodies.
 Fungi have unusual reproductive modes.
 Fungi have cell walls made of chitin.
 Fungi have nuclear mitosis.

Nutrition:

 Need organic compounds as a carbon source.
 Need organic compounds for energy.
 Chemoheterotrophs.
 Acquired by absorption.

Yeast-like growth:

 Budding e.g. Saccharomyces cervisiae.
 Fission e.g. Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Structure of fungi:

 Most fungi structures are multicellular filaments and single cells (yeasts).
 Multicellular: Network of tiny filaments called hyphae.
 Hyphae consist of tubular cell walls. The cell walls are strengthened by chitin.