THE DIVERSITY OF FUNGITHE DIVERSITY OF FUNGIby Aditya Murali, Petr Sharetskiy, and Brendan Loby Aditya Murali, Petr Sharetskiy, and Brendan Lo

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Division Chytridiomycota Division Chytridiomycota There are There are 100, 000100, 000 known known

species of fungi, and scientists species of fungi, and scientists estimate that there may be estimate that there may be 1.5 1.5 millionmillion species worldwide species worldwide

ChytridsChytrids are a group of are a group of organisms (usually aquatic) organisms (usually aquatic) that are links between fungi that are links between fungi and protistsand protists

Recent discoveries show Recent discoveries show similar comparisons between similar comparisons between the sequences for the sequences for proteins, proteins, nucleic acidsnucleic acids, enzymes, and , enzymes, and metabolic pathways in chytrids metabolic pathways in chytrids and fungi.and fungi.

Due to their flagella, Chytrids Due to their flagella, Chytrids may be primitive fungimay be primitive fungi

Division Zygomycota Division Zygomycota

Zygote fungi, or Zygote fungi, or zygomyceteszygomycetes, are , are mostly terrestrial and mostly terrestrial and live in soil or decaying live in soil or decaying organic materialsorganic materials

One group forms One group forms mycorrhizaemycorrhizae, or , or mutualistic mutualistic associations with the associations with the roots of plants roots of plants

Division ZygomycotaDivision Zygomycota

An example of a zygomycete is the black bread An example of a zygomycete is the black bread moldmold

In the asexual phase, In the asexual phase, sporangiasporangia, each containing , each containing hundreds of spores, form on hundreds of spores, form on hyphaehyphae and can and can spread out over the bread and form new spread out over the bread and form new myceliamycelia

If the environment deteriorates, mycelia of If the environment deteriorates, mycelia of opposite mating types (with genetically different opposite mating types (with genetically different nuclei) sexually reproduce and form nuclei) sexually reproduce and form dikaryoticdikaryotic (two, unfused nuclei) (two, unfused nuclei) zygosporangiazygosporangia, which are , which are active in better environmental conditionsactive in better environmental conditions

Division Ascomycota Division Ascomycota AscomycetesAscomycetes, or sac fungi, live in , or sac fungi, live in

marine, freshwater, and terrestrial marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitatshabitats

Although some are pathogenic to Although some are pathogenic to plants, others form plants, others form symbiotic symbiotic relationsrelations with algae (called lichens) with algae (called lichens) or form mycorrhizae with plants. Still or form mycorrhizae with plants. Still others protect plants from insects by others protect plants from insects by releasing toxic chemicalsreleasing toxic chemicals

AsciAsci are sacks of sexual spores; are sacks of sexual spores; ascocarpsascocarps are macroscopic fruiting are macroscopic fruiting bodies where most sac fungi bear bodies where most sac fungi bear their sexual stagestheir sexual stages

In asexual reproduction, In asexual reproduction, ascomycetes produce ascomycetes produce conidiaconidia, , which are naked spores, on the which are naked spores, on the hyphaehyphae

Ascomycetes have more extensive Ascomycetes have more extensive dikaryotic stages, mainly in the form dikaryotic stages, mainly in the form of dikaryotic hyphaeof dikaryotic hyphae

Division Basidiomycota Division Basidiomycota The name comes from The name comes from

basidiumbasidium, a transient diploid , a transient diploid stage in the organism’s like stage in the organism’s like cycle. cycle.

Basidiomycetes are important Basidiomycetes are important decomposersdecomposers of wood and of wood and other plant material. other plant material.

Many fungi of group Many fungi of group parasitizeparasitize the wood of weak or damaged the wood of weak or damaged tress and decompose the wood tress and decompose the wood after the trees die.after the trees die.

Two Groups of basidiomycetes: Two Groups of basidiomycetes: - - RustsRusts, , SmutsSmuts

Both include particularly Both include particularly destructive plant parasitesdestructive plant parasites

Division BasidiocarpsDivision Basidiocarps Life cycle of a fungi includes a diacritic mycelium. In response to Life cycle of a fungi includes a diacritic mycelium. In response to

environmental stimuli, this mycelium reproduces environmental stimuli, this mycelium reproduces sexuallysexually by by

producing fruiting bodies calledproducing fruiting bodies called BasidiocarpsBasidiocarps.. MushroomsMushrooms are great examples of basidiocarps. are great examples of basidiocarps. The cap of mushrooms supports and protects a large surface area The cap of mushrooms supports and protects a large surface area

of basidia on gills and may release up to a of basidia on gills and may release up to a billionbillion basisdiospores, basisdiospores, which drops beneath the cap and are blown away. which drops beneath the cap and are blown away.

MoldsMolds A A moldmold is a rapidly growing, is a rapidly growing,

asexually reproducing fungus. The asexually reproducing fungus. The mycelia grow as saprobes or mycelia grow as saprobes or parasites on a great variety of parasites on a great variety of substrates. Example: substrates. Example: Ruinous Ruinous (bread mold)(bread mold)

There exist molds that cannot be There exist molds that cannot be classified as zygomycetes or classified as zygomycetes or basidiomycetes because they have basidiomycetes because they have no known sexual stages. no known sexual stages.

These are called These are called imperfect fungiimperfect fungi. . Imperfect fungi reproduce Imperfect fungi reproduce asexuallyasexually

by producing spores. Some by producing spores. Some predatory fungi trap, kill, and predatory fungi trap, kill, and consume protists and small animals consume protists and small animals which provides additional nitrogem-which provides additional nitrogem-containing compounds.containing compounds.

There are any extant uses of molds. There are any extant uses of molds. Act as sources of Act as sources of antibioticsantibiotics and and

are utilized in various ways in human are utilized in various ways in human immunizing therapy.immunizing therapy.

Yeasts Yeasts YeastsYeasts are unicellular fungi are unicellular fungi

that inhabit liquid or moist that inhabit liquid or moist habitats, including plant sap habitats, including plant sap and animal tissues.and animal tissues.

Reproduces asexually by Reproduces asexually by simple cell division or by the simple cell division or by the pinching of small “pinching of small “bud bud cellscells” off a parent cell. ” off a parent cell.

Humans have used yeasts Humans have used yeasts to raise bread and ferment to raise bread and ferment alcoholicalcoholic beverages for beverages for thousands of years. thousands of years.

Some yeasts cause Some yeasts cause problems for humans.problems for humans.

Lichen Lichen A lichen is a symbiotic association A lichen is a symbiotic association

of millions of photosynthetic of millions of photosynthetic microorganisms held in a mesh of microorganisms held in a mesh of fungal fungal hyphaehyphae. The . The photosynthetic partner is usually photosynthetic partner is usually an algae or an algae or cyanobacteriacyanobacteria. . Merging of fungus and alga is so Merging of fungus and alga is so complete that lichens are actually complete that lichens are actually given genus and species name as given genus and species name as though one organism. Lichens are though one organism. Lichens are among the first organisms to enter among the first organisms to enter new habitats free of any life and new habitats free of any life and make it possible for a succession make it possible for a succession of plants to grow. Resistant to of plants to grow. Resistant to temperature change but their temperature change but their passive mode of mineral uptake passive mode of mineral uptake makes them susceptible to makes them susceptible to airair pollution.pollution.

Ecological Impacts of Fungi Ecological Impacts of Fungi Wood-rotting fungiWood-rotting fungi became a dominant group of became a dominant group of

organisms about 250mya at end of the Permian era. organisms about 250mya at end of the Permian era. Fungi are necessary to dismantle organic material so Fungi are necessary to dismantle organic material so that the elements don’t accumulate in dead organic that the elements don’t accumulate in dead organic matter. matter.

Some fungi are pathogens.Some fungi are pathogens. Fungi cause diseases like athlete’s foot, vaginal yeast Fungi cause diseases like athlete’s foot, vaginal yeast

infections, and lung infections that may be fatal. infections, and lung infections that may be fatal. Fungi and animals probably evolved from a common Fungi and animals probably evolved from a common

protistanprotistan ancestor. ancestor.

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