Fungi

Learning Objectives

Define the terms: saprophytic & parasitic

State the structure & life cycle of Rhizopus
Explain nutrition in fungi.
Outline the structure & reproduction of Yeast
Name 2 Beneficial & 2 Harmful fungi
Mention that there are Edible and Poisonous
fungi
Define terms asepsis and sterility
Identify and state functions for the following
structures: rhizoid, sporangium, gametangium,
zygospore.

Features of Fungi
Have membrane enclosed
organelles (Eukaryotic)
They do not make their own
food
They are mostly multi-cellular
They are made up of threads
called hyphae
Hyphae combine in masses to
form a mycelium
Their walls are made of a
carbohydrate called chitin

Nutrition
All fungi are heterotrophs i.e. they take in food
made by other organisms
Fungi are either:

Parasitic

Saprophytic

Saprophytic fungi
Most fungi are
saprophytic
obtain nutrients from
dead material
As they digest it
minerals are released
and recycled
Play a vital role in the
environment as they
are responsible for
decay
E.g. mushrooms and
moulds

Parasitic Fungi
Absorb their food
from live hosts

They get their food

mostly from plants
although some fungal
parasites live on
animals e.g. athletes
foot

Parasitic Fungi
Obligate parasites
live on live hosts but do not
normally kill them E.g.
athletes foot, ringworm
Facultative parasites
E.g. fungi causing soft rot in
fruit may kill the host and
feed on the remains

 Some fungi e.g. form

symbiotic
relationships with
other organisms
A lichen is an
organism which is a
combination of a
fungus and an alga

Edible and poisonous fungi

Some fungi are
edible, but many are
poisonous if eaten
It is often difficult to
distinguish between
the edible and
poisonous varieties
growing in the wild

Rhizopus
(common bread mould)

Rhizopus growing on agar

Structure of Rhizopus

Rhizopus
Consists of threadlike
structures called
hyphae
These have no
crosswalls (aseptate)
They are
multinucleate
Each nucleus is
haploid
They digest and
absorb substrate on
which they grow

Large numbers of hyphae are called a mycelium

Rhizoids provide extra surface area for absorption of

the digested material
Stolons are aerial hyphae which allow Rhizopus to
spread sideways

Structure of Rhizopus

Sporangium
Spores
Columella

Apophysis
Sporangiophore

Life cycle of Rhizopus

Asexual reproduction
Sporangiophores grow up from the substrate after a
number of days
Their tip swells to form a sporangium
Cells within the sporangium divide by mitosis to produce
spores (haploid)
In dry conditions, the black
sporangium dries out, and bursts
open to release many spores
If the spore lands on a suitable
substrate it grows into a new hypha
and mycelium

Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction
in Rhizopus can only
occur between a plus
and a minus strain
(although they look
identical).

+ Strain

- Strain

Sexual reproduction
When hyphae from
opposite strains grow
close together
swellings grow on
both strains and touch
each other.

+ Strain

- Strain

Sexual reproduction
Nuclei (which are the
sex cells or gametes)
from both hyphae
move into these
swellings which are
now called
progametangia.

+ Strain

- Strain

Sexual reproduction
Cross-walls form to
produce gametangia.

+ Strain

- Strain

Sexual reproduction
The walls of the
gametangia dissolve
and a number of
fertilisations take
place producing
diploid zygote nuclei.

+ Strain

- Strain

Sexual reproduction
A tough walled black
zygospore forms around
these nuclei.
The zygospore can remain
dormant for a long time
When conditions are suitable
the zygospore germinates by
meiosis.

A haploid hypha grows out of

the zygospore and produces a
sporangium at the tip

+ Strain

- Strain

Sexual reproduction
A hypha grows out of
the zygospore and
produces a
sporangium at the tip.

The sporangium
opens releasing many
haploid spores which
grow into new
individuals.

Sexual Reproduction

Review of sexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction in Rhizopus can only
occur between a plus and a minus strain
When hyphae from opposite strains grow
close together swellings grow on both
strains and touch each other
Nuclei from both hyphae move into these
swellings which are now called
progametangia
Cross-walls form to produce gametangia

Review of sexual reproduction

The walls of the gametangia dissolve and a
number of fertilisations take place producing
diploid zygote nuclei
A zygospore forms around these nuclei
When conditions are suitable the zygospore
germinates by meiosis
A hypha grows out of the zygospore and
produces a sporangium at the tip
The sporangium opens releasing many haploid
spores which grow into new individuals

Yeast

Structure of yeast
(Saccharomyces)

Reproduction in Yeast

Asexual reproduction in yeast

Asexual reproduction
in yeast occurs by
budding.
The nucleus of the
parent cell divides by
mitosis. One of the
daughter nuclei
enters a small
developing bud on the
outside of the yeast
cell.

Asexual reproduction in yeast

This bud can
separate from the
parent to become a
new individual

Asexual reproduction in yeast

This bud can
separate from the
parent to become a
new individual
In some cases the
bud does not
separate, but can
itself bud. In this way
long colonies of yeast
cells can develop

Budding

Budding

Economic importance of fungi

Beneficial fungi
Yeasts can be used
to make bread and
alcohols such as wine
and beer
Fungi can be used as
a source of food e.g.
mushroom

Economic importance of fungi

Harmful fungi
Fungi can attack crops
e.g. corn and wheat
and cause major
financial losses as a
result
Fungi such as athletes
foot and ringworm can
infect animals
Fungi can spoil food
e.g. rhizopus grows on
bread

Depth of treatment

Saprophytic and parasitic forms

Rhizopus (Structure and life cycle)
Nutrition
Yeast: structure and reproduction
(budding).

Contemporary issues and

Technology
Mention of edible and poisonous fungi.
Economic importance of fungi: examples of
any two beneficial and any two harmful
fungi.

Practical Activities

Investigate the growth of leaf yeasts using

agar plates and controls

To investigate the growth of leaf yeast