Fungi Kingdom

Characteristics

* Cell walls made of chitin
* Eukaryotic
* Most multicellular (some like yeast, unicellular)
* Heterotrophs
* Reproduce using spores
* Bodies made of hyphae
* Extracellular digestion and absorption of nutrients

Hyphae

* Thread-like filaments that make up multicellular fungus
* Begin growth when spore germinates
* New cell will form a strand of hyphae, complete with a new nucleus and organelles
* Firm, cell wall is made of chitin
* Segmented in some fungi- separation called septum
* Can grow upward and outward
* outward growth resembles branches of a tree, and is known as **mycellum** (have a huge SA)

How fungi feed

* use extracellular digestion
* Hyphal tips release enzymes
* enzymes break down food
* products diffuse back into hyphae

Fungi vs Plants

* Both contain cell walls
* plant cells are made of cellulose and fungi cell walls are made of chitin
* Fungi are heterotrophic and plants are autotrophic
* Plants have vascular tissue and fungi are not vascular
* Mycelium **not** roots

Fungi and the ecosystem

* Mutualistic relationship
* **Mycorrhizae**- mutualistic relationships between fungus + plant roots
* Essential for plant growth
* Fungi hyphae collect water/minerals and bring them to the roots, also release enzymes that free nutrients in the soil
* Plants provide fungi w/ the products of photosynthesis (oxygen/sugar)
* Decomposition:
* release digestive enzymes in the environments which break down organic material into simple molecules which an b used by other organisms

Fungi and the Importance to Humans

* Food Industry: cheese, bread, soy sauce


* Alcoholic beverages
* Antibiotics

Pathogenic Fungi

Athletes’ foot, Ringworm, Vaginal yeast infections, pathogenic fungi that infects, plants, insects