Fungi

Flashcards about Fungi Lecture Notes

Nuleariids

Microscopic, mostly aquatic, amoeba-like organisms that are thought to be the closest relatives of the fungi.

Diagnostic characteristics of all fungi

Heterotrophic eukaryotes with chitinous cell walls that reproduce by spores.

Water moulds (Oomycetes)

A group of fungi-like organisms reclassified within the Stramenopila.

Cryptomycota and Microsporidia

Early diverging fungi phyla.

Chytrids (fungi of the chytridomycota)

Fungi that have flagellated spores called zoospores and are commonly found in lakes and soil

Mucoromycota

Fungi that are mostly saprotrophs (decomposers) associated with plants.

Glomeromycetes

Fungi that are obligate symbionts of land plants (or cyanobacteria).

Ascomycota

The largest fungal phylum; fungi that form their spores in a sac-like ascus (ascocarp).

Saccharomycotina

Fungi that are mostly yeasts and reproduce by budding and not by ascocarps.

Fungi with yeast organisation

single-celled organisms that reproduce by budding (asexual reproduction)

Hyphae

Structures that are cylindrical tubules with chitinous cell walls that can be coenocytic and/or septate.

Mycelium

Many hyphal branches together.

Coenocytic Hyphae

Hyphae that contain multiple nuclei in one cytoplasm

Haustoria

Specialised hyphae that grow by extending their tips around plant or animal cells or into plant cells, forming arbuscules.

Exoenzymes

Enzymes which act outside the cell to digest complex organic matter into simpler compounds.

Saprotrophy

Feeding on dead material.

Biotrophy

Feeding on living tissue.

Ectophytic saprophytes

Grow on the surface of organic matter

Endophytic saprophytes

Grow inside organic matter.

Biotrophs

Organisms that live in/on other living organisms and obtain their nutrients from these organisms.

Parasites

Organisms that live in/on other living organisms and obtain their nutrients at the expense of the host.

Haustoria

Specialised absorptive structures used by parasitic fungi for the absorption of nutrients

Necrotrophs

Kill the organism they infect by consuming its tissue

Biotrophic mutualists

Provide some positive contribution to the living host in exchange for nutrients.

Lichens

Mutualisms between either Cyanobacteria or green alga and one or two types of fungi.

Basidiocarp

The fruiting body of Basidiomycota that protrudes from the ground and bears the basidia.

Conidia

Mycelia produce pigmented haploid spores

Fungi Phyla

Fungi have radiated into a diverse set of major lineages

Zoopagomycota

Obligate parasites of other fungi and microscopic soil animals

Neocallimastigomycota

Associated with the gut of mammals

Basidiomycota

The most ecologically diverse group of fungi; includes species that produce elaborate fruiting bodies (basidiocarps).

Mycorrhizae

A symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a plant; enhances nutrient uptake for the plant and provides the fungus with carbohydrates.

Lichens

A mutualistic association between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium; the fungus provides a structural matrix and protection, while the alga/cyanobacterium provides carbohydrates through photosynthesis.

Plasmogamy

The fusion of cytoplasm from two individuals

The fusion of two