fungi

What type of cells do fungi have?

Eukaryotic cells.

Are fungi plants or animals?

Neither. Fungi belong to their own kingdom.

Are fungi photosynthetic?

No, they are non-photosynthetic heterotrophs.

What is the cell wall of fungi made of?

Chitin.

What is an absorptive heterotroph?

An organism that digests food externally and then absorbs nutrients.

How do fungi digest food?

They release digestive enzymes to break down organic material.

How do fungi store energy?

As glycogen.

What is the ecological importance of fungi?

They decompose organic matter and recycle nutrients.

Are most fungi unicellular or multicellular?

Multicellular, except yeasts.

What are three examples of fungi?

Mushrooms, molds, and yeasts.

What is a saprophyte?

An organism that gets nutrients from dead organic matter.

What is a parasitic fungus?

A fungus that obtains nutrients from a living host.

What are hyphae?

Threadlike structures that make up the body of a fungus.

What is mycelium?

A network of hyphae.

What are two types of hyphae?

Septate and coenocytic (aseptate).

What are the functions of hyphae?

Nutrient absorption, transport, colony growth, defense, and reproduction.

Where do fungi release digestive enzymes?

From the tips of their hyphae.

How do fungi reproduce?

Sexually and asexually through spores.

Which type of fungal reproduction is most common?

Asexual reproduction.

What does asexual reproduction produce?

Genetically identical organisms.

When do fungi commonly reproduce sexually?

When conditions are poor or nutrients are scarce.

What are conidia?

Asexual fungal spores.

How are conidia dispersed?

By wind, water, soil, and animals.

What are the two fungal mating types?

Plus (+) and minus (-).

What is plasmogamy?

Fusion of the cytoplasm.

What is karyogamy?

Fusion of nuclei.

How are fungi classified in these notes?

By the type of sexual spores they produce.

What sexual spores does Zygomycota produce?

Zygospores.

What sexual spores does Ascomycota produce?

Ascospores.

What sexual spores does Basidiomycota produce?

Basidiospores.

What is Deuteromycota?

Imperfect fungi with no known sexual spores.

What is an example of Zygomycota?

Rhizopus, or bread mold.

What type of hyphae does Zygomycota have?

Aseptate hyphae.

What is a sporangium?

A structure that contains asexual spores.

What are Ascomycota also called?

Sac fungi.

What is an ascocarp?

The fruiting body of Ascomycota.

What is an ascus?

A sac that produces ascospores.

What are Basidiomycota also called?

Club fungi.

What is a basidiocarp?

The fruiting body of Basidiomycota.

Where are basidiospores formed?

On basidia.

What is the first major step in fungal sexual reproduction?

Plasmogamy, when the cytoplasm of compatible hyphae fuses.

What happens after plasmogamy?

The nuclei remain separate temporarily before karyogamy.

What is a dikaryotic fungal cell?

A cell containing two separate haploid nuclei.

What happens during karyogamy?

Two haploid nuclei fuse.

What happens after karyogamy in fungal sexual reproduction?

Meiosis eventually produces haploid sexual spores.

Which fungal group has aseptate hyphae?

Zygomycota.

Which fungal groups have septate hyphae?

Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.

Which fungal group produces spores inside an ascus?

Ascomycota.

Which fungal group produces spores on basidia?

Basidiomycota.

Which fungal group produces spores in sporangia asexually?

Zygomycota.

What is the difference between an ascocarp and a basidiocarp?

Ascocarp is the fruiting body of Ascomycota; basidiocarp belongs to Basidiomycota.

Why are Deuteromycota called imperfect fungi?

They have no known sexual reproductive stage.