Deuteromycetes

Deuteromycetes or Fungi Imperfecti are fungi without a teleomorph Most food- and airborne fungi belong to this foodg group: Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium p p g Cladosporium etc. This group of fungi is artificial and is characterized by their way of sporulation See key on page 55-57 55-

Deuteromycetes
This fungal group can be divided as
Coelomycetes Hyphomycetes or Moniliales

Conidiogenesis
Conidiogenesis = the mode of conidium formation Conidia = specialized non-motile asexual nonspore p Conidiogenous cell = specialized cell which give rise to the conidia Conidiophore = entire system of fertile hyphae
Conidiogenesis in pycnidia in Phoma

Conidium Conidiogenous cell Conidiophore

Vegetative cells of the conidiophore

Vegetative hypha Penicillium

Important conidial types: Thallic conidia

Arthroconidia Formed in chains = catenulate 58

Thallic conidia in Geotrichum candidum

Blastic conidiogenesis

Truncate conidia in Epicoccum

Important conidial types: Tretic conidia

= poroconidia Formed on darkly pigmented, thickthick-walled conidiogenous cells After conidium secession, a recognizable pore in the wall of the conidiogenous cell marks the place where the conidium was formed

Conidiogenous cell proliferation results in: Basipetal

sequence

Acropetal
chains

Sympodial
sequence
straight geniculate

55d 56f

Poroconidia in Alternaria

Conidia in Conidia in unbranched chains Branched or or slimy heads unbranched chains

Conidia on a geniculate or straight rachis

Important conidial types:

Phialidic conidia

Formed on a phialide in basipetal succession

Basipetal chains

Important conidial types: Phialidic

conidia
56d,e

Formed on a phialide in basipetal succession Arrangement: Basipetal chains slimy heads Conidia usually with no distinct or a narrow base

Slimy heads

Collarette

Conidiogenous cell proliferation

Annellidic conidiogenesis
The conidiogenous cell = annellide Annellides elongate as successive bl i blastoconidia are idi formed ringring-like annellations are formed on the apex of the annellide due to percurrent proliferation

Foodb 22b

Scopulariopsis brevicaulis

Annellated conidiogenous cell

Conidia with truncate base

Identification of Deuteromycetes
Microscopical examination of the conidiogenesis and characteristics of the conidiophore and conidia Microscopical slides mostly prepared in lactic acid + aniline blue Chain or slimy head formation must be examined with a dissecting microscope or under low power with a light microscope In some cases adhesive tape (cellotape) preparation might be useful