8: Environmental Fungi and biotechnological applications

Soil horizons are…

Layers of soil

Soil horizons

Organic (O), Surface (A), Subsoil (B), Substratum (C), Bedrock (R)

Soil composition

45% minerals, 25% air, 25% water, 5% organic matter

Organic matter _ soil structure

stabilises

Organic matter _  the amount of _ soil can hold

increases, water

Organic matter is a _ source of plant _

major, nutrients

Organic matter is the main __ source for soil _

food/energy, organisms

Soil supports plant growth…

physically and through providing nutrients

Soil is the main reservoir for…

recycling nutrients and waste

Soil can be…

a filtering system for water

Soil provides…

a habitat for micro and macro soil organisms

Fungi abundance in soil

10⁵-10⁶

True or false: fungi in soil envrionments are the most able to withstand moisture stress

True

Mycorrhizal fungi have mutualistic symbiosis with…

plant roots

Ectomycorrhizae with roots

Form sheath around root exterior, little penetration into root tissue

Endomycorrhizae with roots

Fungal mycelium is embedded in root tissue

Most mycorrhizae do not…

attack plant cell wall materials (hemi/cellulose, lignin)

Ectomycorrhizae are found in…

angiosperm and gymnosperm trees (e.g. pine, beech, oak)

True or false: ectomycorrhizae can be generalists or specialists

True

Types of endomycorrhizae

Arbuscular, ericoid, orchid

Most common type of endomycorrhizae

Arbuscular mycorrhizae

Mutualistic relationship: plant produces _ and _ for fungus while fungus produces ___

sugars, lipids, plant growth substances

The symbiosis provides the plant with _ and increases the plant’s _ to various envrionmental _, including _ and _, and can enhance its defence against _ and _

nurtients, tolerance, stresses, drought, salinity, pathogens, herbivores

Mycelia are being considered for a range of sustainable alternatives due to…

cellular structure, relative ease of growth, ability to be ‘moulded’

Mycelium-based leather is similar to animal leather in…

its structure and ability to be dyed and bleached

True or false: mycelium-based leather has a shorter production time than animal leather

True; five days vs 6-8 weeks

Mycelium-based leather requires __ space to produce than _ leather

much smaller, traditional

Mycelium-based leather can be grown on _ products from other _, and waste products produced during production can be _ and _

waste, industries, reused, repurposed

Mycelium-based leather mixed with plastics/other products to increase strength are…

not completely sustainable or fully biodegradable

Limitations of mycelium-based leather

Scalabitlity, inconsistency

Yeast converts _ into _ and __

sugars, alcohol, carbon dioxide

Fermentation is the _ process whereby _ convert _ into _  or _ in the absence of _, and is the _ alternative to _

biochemical, microbes, carbohydrates, alcohol, acid, oxygen, anaerobic, respiration

Wild yeasts

Present from environment (both vineyard and winery)

Cultured yeasts

Specifically grown and inoculated into wine

Most commonly used inoculant to produce wine

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, predictable and reproducible

Wild yeasts can produce… but are more…

high-quality unique flavoured wines, unpredictable and can lead to spoilage

Brettanomyces

Yeast from grapes, barrels, winery equipment, possible within bottle

Brettanomyces produces __ compounds which lead to a characteristic _ taste

volatile phenol, unpleasant

__ is often added to prevent brettanomyces contamination, or _  and __ are used to remove it

Sulfur dioxide, filtration, dimethyl dicarbonate

Research in making wine

Optomising fermentation, understanding microbial interactions and effects, innovating sustainable practices