Introduction to Mycology

• The course outline includes introduction, general characteristics of fungi, their beneficial and harmful effects, and general biology.
• The course outline includes classification, the study of different phyla, and practical applications.

Introduction to Mycology

• Mycology entails studying fungi, their nature (structure), physiology, reactions at the cellular level, development, ecology, environment, and distribution.
• Fungi exist in almost all habitats, including soil, air, and water.
• Mycology studies the interaction of fungi with animals and humans.
• Fungi are essential to the ecosystem.
• Mycology covers plant pathology, medical mycology, and molecular mycology.

Importance of Studying Fungi

• Fungi improve soil fertility, influencing food security by potentially increasing plant yield, reducing field diseases, and enhancing storage.
• They impact food positively through their activity on the soil.
• Fungi affect human health, contributing both negatively (causing diseases) and positively (producing antibiotics).
• Fungi are vital for environmental sustainability by recycling carbon and nitrogen.
• Fungi are used in textile and industrial processes such as textile manufacture and bread making.

Harmful and Beneficial Effects of Fungi

• Harmful effects: They cause destruction of materials like food, timber, paper, cloth, cause stains, and plant/animal diseases.
• Beneficial effects: They trigger allergies through spores, and some produce poisonous toxins found in food.
• Fungi act as decomposers, participate in recycling, and are used in the food processing industry.
• Fungi are consumed as food, serve as biological control agents, and are used in vitamin, enzyme, and organic acid production.

Characteristics of Fungi

• Fungi are eukaryotic (double membrane) and non-vascular plants.
• Fungi reproduce mainly through spore production by sexual and asexual means.
• Sexual spores are also called meiotic spores or telemorph stage.
• Asexual spores are also called mitotic spores or anamorph stage.
• Fungi are unicellular (yeast) or multicellular (filamentous).
• The cell wall of a typical fungus is made of chitin that includes small amounts of hemicellulose.
• Fungi are typically non-motile, with some exceptions during reproduction that produce motile spores called zygospores.
• Non-motile spores are called aplanospores.
• Fungi are achlorophyllous.
• Fungi store food as glycogen.
• Fungi cell membranes consists of ergosterol.
• Fungi belong to the Kingdom Mycota.

Assignments

• Discuss the differences between fungi and animals, and fungi and plants.

Fungal Body Organization

• A common fungi body is a thallus, which causes diversity in nutrition and reproduction.
• Some fungi types include:
  • Unicellular; a spherical-shaped single-celled organism, i.e. Saccharomyces, Candida albicans
  • Filamentous Body; thread-like in nature, known as Hyphae, being non-cyponocytic
• Hyphae can either be septate or non-septate.
• Septate hyphae features cross walls, septum, with a pore, or opening, called Parenthesome through which cytoplasm passes.
• Non-septate hyphae allow cytoplasm to move freely because there is no cross wall.
• Fungi are typically unicellular and filamentous.
• Some fungi exhibit both body forms i.e. Dimorphism and can switch between both body forms dependent on environmental conditions.

Monokaryotic and Dikaryotic Conditions

• Cells of septate fungi with identical genetic composition are known as monokaryotic.
• Cells of hyphae with differing genetic composition are known as dikaryotic.

Rhizomorphs

• In some situations, the mycelia of fungi form a highly thickened body known as Rhizomorph.
• Individual fungi are difficult to distinguish in Rhizomorph

Sclerotia

• Sclerotium is a ball-like, hardened structure containing several hyphae which withstands desiccation
• A structure used to withstand unfavourable situations and allows growing again when conditions become favourable, i.e. Botrytis cinerea

Eucarpic Condition

• Fungi can be split into nutritive and reproductive parts
• Is called a Molo- or Moducarpic if the vegetation dies when reproduction takes place

Heterotrophic Fungi

• Fungi are heterotrophic
• Parasitism is an association where the fungus benefits at another life forms expense by deriving food from the latter.

How Fungi Parasitize

• Parasites feed on living beings like humans, diatoms, plants or other fungi.
• Parasitism: The organism on which they exist is the host, where parasitic growth will form outgrowths as a haustoria.
• Ectoparasites form specialized structures (appresoria) on the host.
  • They are normally formed on the surface of the host & lead to pathogenic association.
• Biotrophism - Fungi obtain nutrients slowly from a living host without destroying it. Here the nutrients (absorbed within the intracellular spaces).
• Organism shows biotrophic relation, require a living host & a obligate parasite
  • Nectotrophism: Fungi depend on the host for living and secrete toxins that destroy membrane of inner host
  • Nutrients are extracted from outer part

Saprobic Fungi

• Fungi feed on dead organic matter and uses exoenzymes to break down its producer (cellulose, hemicellulose)
• breaks down larger molecules into simpler units
• recycle organic matter
• Cellulases breakdown cellulose, Lignases breakdown lignin, Pectinases break down pectin

Mutualism

• Mutualist fungi are found in association with organ and both benefit. Mycorrhiza fungi has a root and assists the plant.
• The soil nutrients and water assists the plant, meanwhile needed carbs for the fungi.
• There are 2 main types of Mycorrhiza.
  • Ectomycorrhiza and Endomycorrhiza.
• Root cells which have hyphae (Ectomycorrhiza) and extensive absorption because of that
• Mineral ions facilitate entry to plants

Members of Class Fungi

• Class ascomycotina and basidiomycotina usually need relationships
• Class Zygomycotina- Endomycorrhizal
  • Lichen consist of algae and fungus
• Lichen involves the fungus and algae uniting where the fungal component is greater. An algal and usually cyanobacterium takes on that position.
• The alga produces a Parasites from algal which depends entirely on the food
• The fungus produces photosynthesis as well as protects both fungus and association which gives behaviour.
• Phyobiont" involves Alga where the fungal partner is called "mycobiont"
• Lichens abundantly extract mineral ions, colonize new habitats, and indicate environmental deterioration. In inhospitable places, are sensitive pollution for bare trees/ rock etc. They Require : Oxygen, water, carbon dioxide as well as nitrogen

Fungi Growth Dependencies

• Fungi rely both on suitable and produced enzymes.
• Influence many components (light/ temperature, moisture, nutrient etc)
• Dependent of Fungi Growth are based around:
• • Temperature
• • Utilizable Compounds
• • Oxygen
• • Fungal enzymes
• The useable compound is dependent on fungi abilities to produce suitable enzymes for physiological process and growth
• Microorganisms are grouped through temp range as the types of
• —Psychophiles (cold like)
• —Mesophiles (Moderate temp) which can be grown under conditions
• --Thermophiles (Heat liking) with minimum growth needing 20c

pH and Fungi

• PH buffers need culture due to the influence of fungi (uptake through cell usage)
• It can depend on uptake
• A PH test of up to 4.0 or up to 9 exists . True Acidophillic fungi may thrive in acidity such as refuse or H2O to 1.2, others that don't mind have high species

Oxengen and Fungal Growth

• Many fungi may be in an oxygen free environment or even have strict types such as
  • i-Obligate (cannot function without air )
  • li-Facultative Aerobes

Water and Growth

• Fungi need growth through both presence and through releasing enzymes
• Reproduction is through asexual or sexual creation
• -single Individual with production genetically occurring without genetic contribution from
• Reffered to as Anamorph

Asexual reproduction

• Occurs through fragmenting thalloids with representative bodies breaking to each fragment
• -used for subculting in the field.

Sexual Fungi

• Occurs through somatic cells dividing in 2 dougther cells
• Reproduction will allow possibility of genetic variations.
• Has a sexual phase involving parts fusing which causes stage mutations
• This stage are referred to Plasmogamy, Karyogamy
• When one cell has combined proto plasm it also requires uniting and bringing the haploid nuclei for further processes.
• Where there is no fusion during division it is termed 'spermatisation'
• An fungi is hermaphroditic

Fungi Isolation

The process includes:

• • *Finding Source
• *Aseptic techniques
• Surface sterilization
• • *Preperatkon
• • *Inoulation
• • *Subculturing and microscopic view

Explore the fascinating world of fungi with an introduction to mycology. Learn about fungal habitats, structural studies, and the importance of fungi in ecosystems. Delve into the major areas within mycology.