Molds and Yeasts

Classification of
organisms
Systems of classification:
A. The “old” system
2 Kingdoms-- Plants and Animals
3 Kingdoms--Plants, Animals, Fungi
5 Kingdoms--Plants, Animals, Fungi,
Bacteria, Protists
Classification of
organisms
B. Newer systems
3 Domains--
Archaea-primitive extremophiles
Bacteria-more advanced? prokaryotes
Eukarya-Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists
Classification of fungi
C. Several ways to classify fungi:
a. Based on nutrition

b. Based on morphology of reproductive structures

Classification of fungi
a. Modes of nutrition (DeBary 1831-1888)
1. Saprophytes-nutrition derived from dead
organic material (ex. Agaricus)
2. Parasites-nutrition derived absolutely from
living host (ex. athletes foot)
3. Facultative saprophytes-can exist for a time as
a saprophyte (ex. smuts)
4. Facultative parasites-primarily saprophytic but
may attack living organisms (ex. Aspergillus)
Classification of fungi
b. Reproductive structures-
1. Basidiomycota
2. Ascomycota
3. Zygomycota
4. Chytridiomycota
Classification of fungi
Basidiomycota-
form their spores on
basidia (club shaped)
Classification of fungi
Ascomycota-
form their spores in asci
(sac-like)
Classification of fungi
Zygomycota-
form their spores at the
junction of two
gametangia
Classification of fungi
Chytridiomycota-
form motile cells at some stage in their life
history
Molds vs. Yeasts
(Habitat)
Molds – found in most environments
particularly the soil where they cause decay of
plants and animals; soil and water (parasites
of plants and animals (multicellular)

Yeasts – water, soil, dust, fruits and

vegetables (one-celled or unicellular)
Molds vs. Yeasts (Cultural
Characteristics)
Mold – cottony or velvety growths (mass of
mycelium)
- mature, spore bearing heads are
generally colored
- unripe spores and mycelium are white or
colorless
- grow very slowly thus not used in routine
biochemical testing

Yeast – colonies are usually soft, opaque, 1 – 3

mm in size, and cream-colored
Molds vs. Yeasts
(Structure/Function)
Mold- with hyphae (nonseptate or septate)

Yeast – with thick rigid wall surrounds the protoplasm

of the mature cell
Generally larger than bacteria (1 to 5 um in width and 5
to 30 um in length); spherical to ellipsoidal
Contains inclusions like granules of glycogen and
volutin (stain reddish brown with iodine and pink on
volutin in solution of neutral red)
With distinct, usually eccentric nucleus seen by special
staining
Molds v s. Fungi (Mode of
Nutrition)
Molds – saprophytic (live on dead or decaying
organic matter (outside its body) by decomposing
wastes and dead bodies of plants and animals in
soil and water, then absorb and utilize the
digested products for food
Chemo organotrophic: obtain nutrition from non-
living organisms

Yeasts - Mainly saprophytic, decomposing a

variety of dead organic material
Mold vs. Yeast (Conditions Affecting
growth)
Molds
1) abundant moisture
2) supply of organic matter and oxygen
3) warm humid environment (accelerate growth)
4) environment containing large amounts of sugar (high
osmotic pressure) like surface of jellies and jams

Yeasts - mostly aerobic (oxidize glucose completely to

CO2 and H2O through the citric ac cycle); some
facultative aerobe converts glucose through
fermentation (using yeast enzyme) into alcohol and
carbon dioxide
Mold vs. Yeast
(Reproduction)
Molds - by germination of asexual or sexual
spores or both

Yeasts - some produce true filamentous

growth by fission but mostly form buds
(usually asexual through budding)
Molds vs. Yeasts
(significance)
Molds
1) highly destructive causing deterioration of products like
wood, leather, paper, fabrics and glass lenses
2) Cause diseases in cultivated plants and humans
3) enzymes of certain molds act on the curd, during the ripening
process of Camembert, roquefort and blue cheese
4) commercial and medical uses (production of alcohol,
adhesive, citrates and gluconates, and ergots)
5) Gallic acid – important in dye and ink industries
Molds vs. Yeasts
(significance)
Yeasts
1) used in the manufacture of food
2) industrial fermentation (wine, whiskey, rum
and brandy, beer, glycerin)
3) lactose fermentation (fermented milk
drinks)
4) cause diseases such as meningitis, thrush
Examples of Molds and
Yeasts
Molds
Penicillium camemberti
P. roquefortii
Claviceps purpurea
Penicillium notatum

Yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces ellipsoideus
Cryptococcus neoformans
Classification of
organisms

rusts aquatic fungi mushrooms

Kind of Asexual Spores
Arthrospore – spore formed by
fragmentation of the tip of the hyphae
Blastospore – produced as an outgrowth
along a septate hypha.
Conidiospores – unprotected spores formed
by mitosis at the tips of the hyphae
Sporangiospores – spores produced within
a sac called sporangium
Phycomycetes
 Most primitive: algae-like fungi
 Habitat: Water, soil and all sorts of decaying matter
 Structural Characteristics: Mass of interangled filaments and
grow as fluffy colonies (coenocytic or nonseptate mycelium)
 Reproduction: Asexual and sexual
1) Asexual – production of sporangiospores (both motile and
non-motile); by external conidiospores (conidia)
2) Sexual – formation of thick walled zygospore or oospore
 Examples:
 Saprolegnia (water mold): infects goldfish
 Rhizopus (bread mold); appear as white or gray fuzzy growth on
bread or other starchy foods
 Mucor: cottony in soil, rotting manure, fruits and other organic
matter
Ascomycetes
With unicellular form like yeasts
Habitat: freshwater, swamps
Structural Characteristics: septated mycelium
Reproduction: Asexual and sexual
a) Asexual: budding (yeasts), cell division,
segmentation or production of conidiospores
b) Sexual: production of ascospores
Example:
Penicillium – mold that give characteristic green
or olive green color; source of penicillin antibiotic
Deuteromycetes
Other Name: Fungi Imperfecti
Characteristics: with septate mycelium; most
pathogenic fungi in man
Reproduction
- asexual: formation of conidia and other forms of
asexual spores
Examples:
 Aspergillus niger (most common): with sooty, black
conidia while others appear golden to yellowsh
green
 Aspergillus fumigatus – Aspergillosis
 Candida, Alternaria, Coccidiodies immitis and
Blastomyces dermatitis
Basidiomycetes
None are pathogenic to man except in
mushroom poisoning and crytococcus in
immunocompromised host
Reproduction
Sexual: production of basidiospores (sexual
spores on a base called basidium)
Examples
Rusts and smuts which parasitize plants and
few yeasts large fleshy fungi-like mushroom,
puffballs and bracket fungi, and Cryptococccus
Pseudomycetes
1) Myxomycetes (slime molds)
 Free-living organisms existing as:
 Motile, amoeboid masses (spores) in one stage
 Sessile, spore-bearing, fungus-like forms in
another stage
 Example. Mycetozoa or fungus animals
2) Schizomycetes (fission fungi)
 Unicellular, chlorophyl free and reproduce by
binary fission