MIcrobio FUNGI

0.0(0)
studied byStudied by 0 people
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/102

encourage image

There's no tags or description

Looks like no tags are added yet.

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

103 Terms

1
New cards

What is the estimated number of fungi species?

Around 1.5 million species.

2
New cards

What percentage of fungi species have been formally classified?

About 5%.

3
New cards

What are the main types of organisms classified under fungi?

Yeast, mold, and mushrooms.

4
New cards

How do fungi obtain their nutrients?

By absorption of simple organic compounds.

5
New cards

What is the study of fungi called?

Mycology.

6
New cards

What are fungal diseases referred to as?

Mycoses.

7
New cards

What role do fungi play in the ecosystem?

They are major decomposers of organic materials in the soil.

8
New cards

What do fungi recycle in the environment?

Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements.

9
New cards

What are the two major groups of fungi?

Filamentous fungi (molds) and unicellular fungi (yeasts).

10
New cards

What is the structure of fungal cells?

They contain membrane-bound nuclei with chromosomes that contain DNA.

11
New cards

What is the composition of the fungal cell wall?

Glucans and chitin.

12
New cards

What is the typical growth temperature for most fungi?

About 25°C, except for pathogens which grow at 37°C.

13
New cards

What type of organisms are fungi classified as?

Heterotrophic organisms.

14
New cards

What is the term for the tangled mass of hyphae visible to the naked eye?

Mycelium.

15
New cards

What are hyphae?

Cylindrical, thread-like structures that make up the body of molds.

16
New cards

What is the difference between coenocytic and septate fungi?

Coenocytic fungi lack cross walls, while septate fungi have cross walls (septa) dividing the hyphae.

17
New cards

How do yeasts reproduce?

By budding.

18
New cards

What is the significance of dimorphic fungi?

They can switch between a yeast phase and a hyphal phase in response to environmental conditions.

19
New cards

What type of environments do fungi typically inhabit?

Terrestrial environments, but some live in aquatic habitats.

20
New cards

What is the growth rate of fungi compared to bacteria?

Fungi grow at a slower rate than bacteria.

21
New cards

What is the spore structure in fungi called?

Conidia.

22
New cards

What are the two types of fungal growth forms?

Filamentous (molds) and unicellular (yeasts).

23
New cards

What is the typical pH range for optimal fungal growth?

About 5 (acidic pH).

24
New cards

What are yeasts?

Microscopic, unicellular fungi with a single nucleus and eukaryotic organelles that reproduce asexually by budding.

25
New cards

What is the process of budding in yeasts?

A new cell forms at the surface of the original cell, enlarges, and then breaks free to assume an independent existence.

26
New cards

What are dimorphic fungi?

Fungi that can shift between yeast form and mold form, often seen in fungal pathogens.

27
New cards

How do fungi typically reproduce?

Fungi reproduce through spores, which can be produced by sexual or asexual means.

28
New cards

What are conidia?

A type of asexual spore that is free and unprotected at the tips of hyphae.

29
New cards

What are sporangiospores?

Asexual spores formed within a sac.

30
New cards

Why are fungal spores important?

They are unique in shape, color, and size, aiding in identification and classification of fungi.

31
New cards

What is the significance of a single spore in fungi?

A single spore can germinate and reestablish the entire mycelium.

32
New cards

What are the types of asexual spores in fungi?

Conidia, sporangiospores, arthrospores (fragments of hyphae), and chlamydospores (thick-walled spores).

33
New cards

How does asexual reproduction in fungi occur?

Through the formation of spores by mitosis.

34
New cards

What is the role of meiosis in fungal reproduction?

It occurs in sexual reproduction across all fungal phyla except Deuteromycota.

35
New cards

What are sexual spores in fungi?

Spores formed when compatible nuclei unite by fusing their hyphae, resulting in ascospores, zygospores, and basidiospores.

36
New cards

What is the classification of fungi based on?

Their mode of sexual reproduction or molecular data.

37
New cards

What are the major phyla of fungi?

Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota.

38
New cards

What is Deuteromycota?

An informal group of unrelated fungi that reproduce strictly asexually.

39
New cards

What are chytrids?

Fungi in the phylum Chytridiomycota, known as the simplest and most primitive true fungi.

40
New cards

What is a unique feature of chytrids?

They produce zoospores capable of active movement through water with a single flagellum.

41
New cards

Where do chytrids typically live?

In aquatic environments, though some species can be found on land.

42
New cards

What are zygomycetes?

Fungi in the phylum Zygomycota that produce sexual spores called zygospores and asexual sporangiospores.

43
New cards

What is an example of a zygomycete?

Rhizopus stolonifer, commonly known as black bread mold.

44
New cards

What is the ecological role of some chytrids?

Some thrive as parasites on plants, insects, or amphibians, while others are saprobes.

45
New cards

What is the common name for Rhizopus stolonifer?

Bread mold.

46
New cards

What is the significance of the hyphae in fungi?

Hyphae are the filamentous structures that make up the mycelium and are involved in nutrient absorption and reproduction.

47
New cards

What is Rhizopus commonly known as?

It is the familiar bread mold.

48
New cards

What special structures do Rhizopus use to anchor themselves?

Rhizoids.

49
New cards

What industrial products are derived from Rhizopus?

Steroids, meat tenderizers, industrial chemicals, and certain coloring agents.

50
New cards

What is Ascomycota commonly known as?

Sac fungi or ascomycetes.

51
New cards

What type of spores do Ascomycota produce?

Sexual spores called ascospores, enclosed in a sac-like structure called an ascus.

52
New cards

What is the significance of Saccharomyces in Ascomycota?

It is used in baking, brewing, and wine fermentation.

53
New cards

Name two gourmet delicacies associated with Ascomycota.

Truffles and morels.

54
New cards

What is Aspergillus oryzae used for?

In the fermentation of rice to produce sake.

55
New cards

What are the main reproductive methods of Basidiomycota?

Sexual reproduction through basidiospores and asexual reproduction by budding, fragmentation, or conidia formation.

56
New cards

What are common examples of Basidiomycota?

Common mushrooms like Agaricus, shelf fungus, smuts, and rusts.

57
New cards

What is Ustilago maydis known for?

It is a maize pathogen.

58
New cards

What disease does Cryptococcus neoformans cause?

Respiratory illness and meningitis.

59
New cards

What is the significance of Amanita mushrooms?

They are poisonous to humans.

60
New cards

What is Glomeromycota known for?

It comprises fungi that form arbuscular mycorrhizae in close association with tree roots.

61
New cards

What is the mutual benefit in the relationship between Glomeromycota and plants?

Plants supply carbohydrates to the fungus, while the fungus supplies essential minerals from the soil.

62
New cards

What distinguishes Deuteromycota from other fungi?

They lack a known sexual cycle and are referred to as 'imperfect fungi'.

63
New cards

What is a common example of an imperfect fungus?

Aspergillus niger, commonly found as a food contaminant.

64
New cards

What are lichens formed from?

A symbiotic relationship between algae or cyanobacteria and fungi.

65
New cards

What role do lichens play in ecosystems?

They are key in soil formation and biological succession.

66
New cards

Where can lichens grow?

On bare soil, rocks, tree bark, wood, shells, barnacles, and leaves.

67
New cards

What economic importance do fungi have in medicine?

Many species produce metabolites that are sources of pharmacologically active drugs.

68
New cards

What is penicillin G and what is it produced from?

Penicillin G is an antibiotic produced by the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum.

69
New cards

What are some other antibiotics produced by fungi?

Other antibiotics include ciclosporin (an immunosuppressant), and fusidic acid (used to control infections from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

70
New cards

Name three medicinal mushrooms with a documented history of use.

Agaricus subrufescens, Ganoderma lucidum, and Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

71
New cards

What is lentinan and in which mushroom is it found?

Lentinan is a clinical drug approved for cancer treatments, found in the shiitake mushroom.

72
New cards

How have fungi been used in food production?

Fungi are used as a direct source of food (mushrooms and truffles), as a leavening agent for bread, and in the fermentation of products like wine, beer, and soy sauce.

73
New cards

What are some commonly eaten species of mushrooms?

Commonly eaten species include Agaricus bisporus, straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea), oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), shiitakes (Lentinula edodes), and enokitake (Flammulina spp.).

74
New cards

What role do fungi play in bioremediation?

Certain fungi, especially 'white rot' fungi, can degrade pollutants like insecticides and heavy fuels, converting them into carbon dioxide, water, and basic elements.

75
New cards

What industrial chemicals are produced by fungi?

Fungi are used to produce citric, gluconic, lactic, and malic acids, as well as industrial enzymes like lipases and cellulases.

76
New cards

What are Psilocybin mushrooms known for?

Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms, are ingested for their psychedelic properties.

77
New cards

What is a significant fungal pathogen affecting cultivated plants?

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae causes extensive damage to agriculture.

78
New cards

What are mycoses and how are they classified?

Mycoses are fungal infections classified as superficial, cutaneous, subcutaneous, or systemic, based on tissue involvement and host response.

79
New cards

What are superficial mycoses and where do they commonly occur?

Superficial mycoses, or tineas, mostly occur in the tropics and affect the outer surface of hair and skin.

80
New cards

What fungus causes black piedra?

Piedraia hortae causes black piedra, characterized by brown/black nodules on the scalp hair.

81
New cards

What is white piedra and which fungus causes it?

White piedra is a superficial infection caused by Trichosporon cutaneum.

82
New cards

What types of fungi cause cutaneous mycoses?

Cutaneous mycoses are caused by fungi from the genera Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton.

83
New cards

How do cutaneous mycoses affect the skin?

These fungi grow above where keratin is deposited, causing irritation and inflammation of underlying epithelial cells.

84
New cards

What is the significance of keratin in cutaneous mycoses?

Keratin is a protein that these fungi can degrade, leading to irritation and allergic reactions in the host.

85
New cards

What are the characteristics of superficial mycoses?

Superficial mycoses are restricted to the outer layers of hair and skin and are often less severe than deeper infections.

86
New cards

What are the potential consequences of untreated fungal diseases in immunocompromised individuals?

Untreated fungal diseases can be fatal for individuals with immunodeficiencies.

87
New cards

What is the role of fungi in fermentation?

Fungi are essential in fermentation processes for producing various food products, including alcoholic beverages.

88
New cards

What is the relationship between fungi and heavy metals?

Fungi can biomineralize uranium oxides, indicating potential for bioremediation of radioactive sites.

89
New cards

What are the effects of cutaneous fungi on epithelial cells?

Cutaneous fungi can cause allergic reactions leading to the death of epithelial cells.

90
New cards

What are the implications of using fungi in traditional medicine?

Fungi have a long history of use in folk medicine, particularly in Traditional Chinese medicine.

91
New cards

What are subcutaneous mycoses and how do they typically occur?

Subcutaneous mycoses are infections caused by fungi that are saprotrophic inhabitants of soil, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. They become infective when introduced through wounds in the skin, often affecting individuals who walk barefoot.

92
New cards

What fungi are responsible for human mycetoma, and what are its characteristics?

Madurella mycetomatis and M. grisea (filamentous, Ascomycota) cause human mycetoma, also known as madura foot. It results in localized tumor-like abscesses, chronic inflammation, swelling, distortion, and ulceration of the infected area. Mycetomas are resistant to chemotherapy, often requiring surgery or amputation.

93
New cards

What disease is caused by Sporothrix schenckii and how does it spread?

Sporothrix schenckii causes sporotrichosis, also known as 'rose handler's disease.' It enters through minor skin injuries and can spread through the lymphatic system, potentially leading to infections in the lungs, bones, joints, and causing conditions like endophthalmitis, meningitis, and invasive sinusitis.

94
New cards

What are systemic mycoses and how are they categorized?

Systemic mycoses are infections that affect the whole body, categorized into those caused by primary virulent pathogens, which can infect normal hosts, and opportunistic pathogens, which cause disease in individuals with compromised immune systems.

95
New cards

How do primary and opportunistic fungal pathogens typically gain access to the host?

Primary deep pathogens usually gain access via the respiratory tract, while opportunistic fungi can invade through the respiratory tract, alimentary tract, or intravascular devices.

96
New cards

Name some primary systemic fungal pathogens.

Primary systemic fungal pathogens include Coccidioides immitis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

97
New cards

What are some examples of opportunistic fungal pathogens?

Opportunistic fungal pathogens include Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida, Aspergillus spp., Penicillium marneffei, Zygomycetes, Trichosporon beigelii, and Fusarium spp.

98
New cards

What types of infections do dermatophytic and keratinophilic fungi cause?

Dermatophytic and keratinophilic fungi can attack the eyes, nails, hair, and skin, causing local infections such as ringworm (trichophyton) and athlete's foot.

99
New cards

How can fungi cause allergic reactions?

Fungal spores can evoke allergic reactions, and fungi from different taxonomic groups can contribute to allergies.

100
New cards

What are mycotoxins and what effects can they have on humans?

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by some mushroom species, causing effects ranging from mild digestive issues and allergic reactions to severe organ failures and death.