FUNGI

Morphological Characteristics of Fungi

►Non-motile eukaryotic organisms which exists as saprophytes
(derives its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter),
parasites.

►Posses differentiated nuclei surrounded by a nuclear membrane

►Reproduce either by budding or by forming spores

►Non-photosynthetic (heterotrophic)

►Morphologically may be either simple oval cells or long tubular

septate hyphae showing true lateral branching.
►Most fungi grow as thread-like filamentous
microscopic structures called hyphae, which are
microscopic filaments between 2–10 µm in diameter
and up to several centimeters in length, and which
collectively form the mycelium (aggregates of
hyphae).

►Hyphae can be septate, i.e., divided into

compartments separated by a septum, each
compartment containing one or more nuclei, or can
be coenocytic, i.e., lacking hyphal
compartmentalization
►May be unicellular or multicellular
►Most are microscopic molds or yeasts
 Difference between Fungi and bacteria
Sr.# Characteristics Fungi Bacteria

1 Cell type Eucaryotic Procaryotic

2 Optimum pH 4-6 6.5-7.5
3 Optimum 25-30oC (saprophytes) 32-37oC (mesophillic)
temperature 32-37oC (parasites)
4 Cell membrane Sterols present Sterols absent except
Mycoplasma
5 O2 requirement Strictly aerobic (moulds) Aerobic to anaerobic
Facultative anaerobic(Some yeasts)
6 Light requirement None Some photosynthetic gr.
7 Carbon source Organic Organic/ Inorganic
8 Conc. of sugar in 4-5% 0.5-1%
media
9 Cell wall Chitin, cellulose or hemicellulose Peptidoglycan
components
10 Susceptibility to Sensitive to griseofulvin, Resistant to Sensitive to penicillins,
antibiotics penicillinis, chloramphenicol etc. Resistant to griseofulvin,
tetracyclines etc.
 1. Moulds and fleshy fungi
►Fungi which form mycelia are called
Septated
moulds or filamentous fungi.
►Filaments of fungi are called hyphae.
►Diameter is 2-10μm
►The cell walls contain chitin.
►Some hyphae may divided by cross
sections called septa
►Two types of hyphae: Septate and Non-
septate
►1. Septate: septa divide the hyphae into
distinct, uninucleate or multinucleate cell-
like units.
►2.Nonseptate/coenocytic: does not contain
septa and appear as long, continuous cells
Nonseptated - coenocytic
with many nuclei.
►The MYCELIUM is a mass of hyphae visible to the unaided eye
( bread mold)
►Two portions of mycelium: Vegetative concerned with obtaining
nutrients and reproductive or aerial concerned with reproduction

• Filamentous mold colony which may be dry or powdery seen on

artificial medium
• e.g. Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus Niger, Pencillium notatum
 2.Yeasts
►Round, oval or elongated, unicellular fungi
►Reproduce by an asexual process called budding in which the cell develops a
protuberance which enlarges and eventually separates from the parent cell
►On culture they form smooth, creamy colonies
►E.g. Saccharomyces cervisae, Cryptococcus neoformans
3. Yeast-like fungi
►Yeast like Candida albicans, the bud remains attached to the mother cell and
elongates, followed by repeated budding, forming chains of elongated chains known
as pseudohyphae.
4. Dimorphic fungi
►Mainly pathogenic species exhibit dimorphism i.e. 2 forms of growth
►Fungi can grow either as a mould or as a yeast
►Mould-like forms produce vegetative and aerial mycelium
►Yeast-like forms reproduce by budding
►Dimorphism is temperature and CO2 dependant.
►At 37oC, the fungus grows yeast-like and at 25oC it shows mould-like growth
►E.g. Mucor rouxii, Histoplasma capsulatum
Yeast
 Systemic classification of Fungi

►Based on their sexual spore formation fungi are divided into four classes
1. Zygomycetes: Fungi having non-septate hyphae, forms endogenous
asexual spores (sporangiospores) contained within sac like structures
called sporangia. Also produce sexual spores known as oospores and
zygospores
e.g. Mucor, Rhizopus.
2. Ascomycetes: Form sexual spores with in a sac and are called ascospores.
The sac is called as ascus. They form septate hyphae. Include both yeasts
and filamentous fungi e.g. Histoplasm, Candida etc.
3. Basidiomycetes: Reproduce sexually and form septate hyphae. These
basidiospores are borne at the tip of the basidium e.g. Cryptococcus
neoformans
4. Fungi imperfecti: Also called as Deuteromycetes or Hyphomycetes,
consist of group of fungi whose sexual phases have not been identified
and they form septate hyphae and asexual conidia. Majority of the
pathogenic moulds, yeasts, yeasts like fungi and dimorphic fungi.
e.g. Trichophyton, Epidermophyton
 Reproduce by spores
►Spores are reproductive cells
• Sexual
• Asexual
►Formed:
• Directly on hyphae
• Inside sporangia
• Fruiting bodies

Penicillium hyphae

Pilobolus sporangia
Amanita fruiting body
 Reproduction
►Most fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually.

►Asexual reproduction – production of various types of

spores

• Sporangiophores- upright stalk with an enclosed sac ( bread

mold)
• Conidia - upright stalk with no enclosed sac (penicillin)
• Fragmentation – hyphae dry out and shatter releasing
individual cells that act like spores (athlete’s foot)
• Budding – small offspring
►Sexual reproduction
• “plus and minus” mating types
• Hyphae of different mating types fuse and give rise to
a specialized structure that produces spores ( diploid)
• Most fungi are haploid throughout most of their life
cycle
►When environmental conditions are favorable,
asexual reproduction occurs rapidly.
►When unfavorable conditions stress the
organism, sexual reproduction occurs and the
offspring have an increased like-hood that they
will be better suited for the environment.
Generalized Life Cycle of a Fungus
Zygomycete (Bread Mold) Life Cycle

spores
(haploid)

mating strain

hypha
sporangium MEIOSIS

(2n) mating strain

(n)
diploid haploid

FUSION of
+ and – gametangia
Fungi decompose dead plant and animal matter.
►Called saprophytes, they act as recyclers of dead
organic matter, obtaining food from this material.
►Hyphal tips release enzymes that eventually
decompose and release organic materials into the
surrounding environment.
►Saprophytic fungi appear on dead trees, logs, plant
litter such as leaves, and even dead insects and
animals. Examples: "Gem-studded Puffball"
(Lycoperdon perlatum) and "Turkey Tail"(Trametes
versicolor).
 Fungi and Us
►Derived from fungi
►Antibiotics
►Many useful products have been
►Agents to lower cholesterol
isolated from fungi which have
been of great benefit to humans. ►Immune system suppressants
►Used in the manufacture of
►Beer
►Chocolate
►Certain activities of fungi are also ►Cheese
used to produce food and drink. ►Bread
►Fizzy drinks
►Enzymes for washing powders

►Some examples are shown here.

 Fungi and Humans
►Many people have allergies triggered by mold.
►Fungal skin infections – skin, nails and hair
• Ringworm, athlete’s foot
►Internal organs - Histoplasmosis

Fungi in Industry
►Fungi produce many products used in the medical field
such as penicillin, cephalosporin antibiotics, cortisone
►Fungi are used in genetic engineering – vaccine for hepatitis
B was developed using the yeast plasmid as the vector.
►Yeast is used to make ethanol.
►Yeast are known for making breads rise.
• Assignment: What are Koch’s postulates;
describe their role in the development of
disease theory

• Times New Roman, 12 font size, spacing 1.5

• 300 words

• Submit it on [email protected] till 20th

December.