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Questions and Answers
What is the purpose of the land acknowledgment mentioned in the course material?
What is the purpose of the land acknowledgment mentioned in the course material?
Which theme is NOT part of the course content outlined?
Which theme is NOT part of the course content outlined?
What should students primarily focus on for the final exam preparation?
What should students primarily focus on for the final exam preparation?
Which of the following statements accurately reflects the course's stance on equity, diversity, and inclusion?
Which of the following statements accurately reflects the course's stance on equity, diversity, and inclusion?
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What is the contact email for the course instructor?
What is the contact email for the course instructor?
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What type of infection is most commonly associated with Rhizopus oryzae?
What type of infection is most commonly associated with Rhizopus oryzae?
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What was the initial response to the experimental therapy in the policeman case?
What was the initial response to the experimental therapy in the policeman case?
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Which of the following conditions is NOT commonly associated with fungal infections?
Which of the following conditions is NOT commonly associated with fungal infections?
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The antibiotic penicillin was first isolated from which organism?
The antibiotic penicillin was first isolated from which organism?
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What was the most significant outcome for the 14-year-old girl diagnosed with a brain abscess?
What was the most significant outcome for the 14-year-old girl diagnosed with a brain abscess?
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Which of the following correctly describes the characteristics of fungi?
Which of the following correctly describes the characteristics of fungi?
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What is the estimated range of undiscovered fungal species on Earth?
What is the estimated range of undiscovered fungal species on Earth?
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Which of the following is NOT a role of fungi in the food industry?
Which of the following is NOT a role of fungi in the food industry?
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What is one negative aspect of fungi highlighted in the context of biodegradation?
What is one negative aspect of fungi highlighted in the context of biodegradation?
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What is a common method of estimating new fungal species being discovered annually?
What is a common method of estimating new fungal species being discovered annually?
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What are the primary structural components of a fungal cell wall?
What are the primary structural components of a fungal cell wall?
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Which of the following best describes saprotrophic fungi?
Which of the following best describes saprotrophic fungi?
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Which characteristic distinguishes yeasts from molds?
Which characteristic distinguishes yeasts from molds?
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What role does the environment play in the lifecycle of yeasts?
What role does the environment play in the lifecycle of yeasts?
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Which of these is NOT a lifestyle mode of fungi?
Which of these is NOT a lifestyle mode of fungi?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Mycology
- Course code: MIMM211
- Instructor: François Le Mauff, PhD
- Contact information provided
Land Acknowledgment
- McGill University is on land that was traditionally a site of meeting and exchange for Indigenous peoples, particularly the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg.
- Acknowledgment and thanks to those Indigenous peoples.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Disclaimer
- Fungi come in various colours, shapes, sexualities, and lifestyles.
- There is no discrimination within the fungal kingdom.
- Students should contact the instructor if the course impairs their learning experience.
Exam Information
- The final exam will cover information presented in the slides and class content.
- Fungi names will not be asked on the exam.
Course Content
- The course has five themes:
- Introduction
- Fungi & environment
- Fungi & agriculture
- Medical mycology
- Fungi in the future
Case Study 1 - Penicillin Discovery
- 43-year-old policeman, survivor of an air raid, developed a rash, eye infection, and fever.
- Given experimental therapy, fever resolved, swelling reduced.
- Therapy stopped, relapse and death occurred.
- The first antibiotic was isolated from fungi in London, UK, in 1928.
- This was penicillin.
- The production and purification of penicillin occurred in the early 1940s.
Case Study 2 - Mucormycosis
- 14-year-old girl with Type 1 Diabetes presented with eye pain, headache, and a protruding left eye.
- Intranasal exam showed a black patch.
- Rapidly became comatose due to abscess in the frontal lobe.
- Begun on broad spectrum antifungal therapy.
- Cardiac arrest five days after admission.
- Mucormycosis is an invasive, aggressive fungal infection, which causes deaths, specifically in India.
The Good and Bad Sides of Fungi
-
The bad:
- Infection (invasive and superficial).
- Intoxication (aflatoxicosis, ergot alkaloids, toxic mushrooms, toxic building syndrome).
- Allergies (asthma, sinusitis).
-
The good:
- Pharmaceutical industry (antibiotics, like penicillin; other pharmaceuticals).
- Food industry (mushrooms, yeast in baking/fermentation, cheeses, enzymes).
Biodegradation
- Fungi decompose organic material, including plastics, lumber, building materials, and food waste.
A Mostly Unknown Kingdom
- Fungi are widespread on Earth.
- The exact number of species is uncertain (estimated 1.5 to 12 million).
- Currently, only about 150,000 species have been identified.
- The rate of discovery is approximately 1,000 to 2,000 species per year.
What is a Fungi?
-
Characteristics:
- Eukaryote
- Chitin-based cell wall
- Heterotrophy (cannot produce their own food)
- Unicellular or multicellular
- Asexual and sexual reproduction
-
Fungal cells:
-
Have true nuclei, secretory pathways (ER, Golgi), mitochondria, vacuoles.
-
Cell walls contain ergosterol.
Fungal Lifestyles
- Saprotrophs: obtain nutrients from dead organic matter.
- Parasites: obtain nutrients from living hosts.
- Symbionts: form partnerships with other organisms.
- Predators: trap and kill other organisms.
Fungal Morphology
- Yeasts: Unicellular, reproduce by budding or fission.
- Molds: Filamentous, contain multiple nuclei.
- Hyphae: Thread-like structures.
- Septa: Cross-walls that divide some hyphae.
- Mycelium: Network of hyphae.
- Fruiting body: Reproductive structure.
Fungal Sexuality
- Fungi can be asexual (reproducing by mitosis), producing an asexual form called an anamorph.
- Fungi can also reproduce sexually (reproducing by meiosis) forming a teleomorph.
- This can be heterothallic (different mating types) or homothallic (same mating type)
- Fungal sexuality is fluid.
Taxonomy
- Fungal phylogeny is constantly evolving.
- There are three main groups of fungi: zoosporic, zygomycetous, and dikarya.
- Students should generally understand the different groups but are not required to memorize the specific names of subphyla and classes.
Next Lecture
- Environmental mycology
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Description
This quiz covers the introductory concepts of mycology as part of the MIMM211 course. It includes themes such as the relationship between fungi and their environment, agriculture, and medical applications. Prepare for a comprehensive understanding as you review the topics outlined in the course material.
