Fungi

Fungi Basics
Eukaryotic, Nonphotosynthetic Organisms
Most are Multicellular Heterotrophs.
Have nuclei and mitochondria
Many fungi are microscopic
 Molds: tangled masses of filaments of cells
 Yeast: unicellular, colonies are similar to
bacteria
 Fungi Nutrition
All fungi are heterorophs,
Most are saprophytes: they absorb and digest dead
things.
 Decomposers/recyclers
Some are Parasites
Fungi Digest their food outside of their body by
secreting enzymes that break down organic
material. They then absorb the food through
their cell walls.
Fungi store energy in the form of Glycogen.
 Structure
•The body has tiny filaments
called Hyphae.
• Hyphae: tiny tubes filled
with cytoplasm, and nucli.
•The cell wall has chitin
which in unique to fungi.
•Mycelium: Mass of tangled,
interwoven Hyphae the
body)
 Reproduction
They use asexual reproduction when they
have more then enough food and water
 Mitosis, budding, fragmentation, or spores
 Spores are a fungi’s way of traveling. One cell
that can reproduce into a new individual
 Reproduction
They use sexual reproduction when food
and water are scarce
 Fertilization: Hyphae - a Plus Mating Type and
a Minus Mating Type Fuse.
 Specialized structure form that produces and
scatters genetically diverse spores.
 Fungi and Disease
Fungal disease make us sick and
contaminate our food
Mold spores can cause mild to serious
allergies
Fungi can infect and poison humans
Contributions of Fungi
Foods we eat
Medicine
Recycling dead organisms back into the
environment.
Ascomycota in Food
Mold in food
Basidiomycota
you eat
Yeast Products