Bio 184 Fungi Notes
Fungi features
1. Heterotrophs
Feed by absorption
Don’t photosynthesize
Don’t have mouth – don’t ingest
2. Multicellular filaments or single cells (yeast)
3. Hyphae – network of tiny filaments made of hyphal cells
Divided into cells by septa
Septa have pores – for cell to cell movement of organelles
Coenocytic fungi – no septa, continuous cytoplasm with hundreds of nuclei
Mycelium = mass of hyphae
Produce spores at tips of hyphae
4. Chitin – cell wall
5. Have heterokaryotic stage in lifecycle
Due to plasmogamy- cytoplasm fuses but nuclei don’t immediately
Go diploid (2n) to heterokaryotic (n+n) to haploid (n)
6. Disperse via spores
7. Different number of spores produced, depending on phylum
8. Mycorrhizal association - symbiotic relationships with 90% of plants
Mycorrhizae – fungus on roots ONLY
1. Ectomycorrizal fungi (Prepared Slide)
Hyphae between plant cells
Doesn’t enter cells
Absorbs water and minerals
2. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
AKA endomycorrhizae (Prepared Slide)
Penetrates the cell wall but not the membrane
Increases surface area of cells because of branching of cells
Helps plant absorb water and minerals
Plants give them synthesized plant products like carbs
4 main fungal roles
1) Decomposers (saprotroph)
Decompose organic material like cellulose and lignin
Can be used to remove pesticides, oil spills
Recycle carbon, nitrogen and other elements
2) Mutualists with plants
Fungal endophytes in most plants
= live entirely in tissue, often between cells
*Different from mycorrhizal – not just on roots and totally within the plant tissue
Only come out of plant in reproduction when plant is dead or dying
Some endophytes produce toxins to defend the plant
Fungi features
1. Heterotrophs
Feed by absorption
Don’t photosynthesize
Don’t have mouth – don’t ingest
2. Multicellular filaments or single cells (yeast)
3. Hyphae – network of tiny filaments made of hyphal cells
Divided into cells by septa
Septa have pores – for cell to cell movement of organelles
Coenocytic fungi – no septa, continuous cytoplasm with hundreds of nuclei
Mycelium = mass of hyphae
Produce spores at tips of hyphae
4. Chitin – cell wall
5. Have heterokaryotic stage in lifecycle
Due to plasmogamy- cytoplasm fuses but nuclei don’t immediately
Go diploid (2n) to heterokaryotic (n+n) to haploid (n)
6. Disperse via spores
7. Different number of spores produced, depending on phylum
8. Mycorrhizal association - symbiotic relationships with 90% of plants
Mycorrhizae – fungus on roots ONLY
1. Ectomycorrizal fungi (Prepared Slide)
Hyphae between plant cells
Doesn’t enter cells
Absorbs water and minerals
2. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
AKA endomycorrhizae (Prepared Slide)
Penetrates the cell wall but not the membrane
Increases surface area of cells because of branching of cells
Helps plant absorb water and minerals
Plants give them synthesized plant products like carbs
4 main fungal roles
1) Decomposers (saprotroph)
Decompose organic material like cellulose and lignin
Can be used to remove pesticides, oil spills
Recycle carbon, nitrogen and other elements
2) Mutualists with plants
Fungal endophytes in most plants
= live entirely in tissue, often between cells
*Different from mycorrhizal – not just on roots and totally within the plant tissue
Only come out of plant in reproduction when plant is dead or dying
Some endophytes produce toxins to defend the plant
