#7: Fungi
Characteristics: Fungi are Eukaryotes, multi-cellular and reproduce by spores. Yeast is different from other fungi because it is unicellular. Spore producing hyphae that grow out of a fungus is called a fruiting body. Fungi are plant like because they have a cell wall. They are animal like because they are heterotrophs. They can thrive in moist, damp places. They cannot thrive on polar ice caps or hot places.
Structure: The multi-cellular fungi are made up of long thread like tubes called hyphae. The appearance of fungi depends on the arrangement of these hyphae. The hyphae can be tightly packed as in a mushroom or loosely tangled as in a mold.
The hyphae start growing inside the food and secrete digestive chemicals, which help break the food. The hyphae are then able to absorb the food
Reproduction: they reproduce both sexually and asexually. They reproduce asexually when the conditions are favorable (Enough moisture and food). The spores produce a new organism. When the conditions are unfavorable they reproduce sexually. The hyphae join together to form genetically different fungi.
Yeast does not reproduce using spores. It reproduces asexually by the process of Budding. A mature yeast cell starts growing a bud, which then forms into a new yeast cell.
Classification: The fungi are divided into four groups based on how they reproduce and formation of spores.
Club fungi: Example: Mushroom
Thread like: Example: Mold
Sac fungi: Example: Yeast
Imperfect fungi: Example: Penicillium
Fungi and the living world:
Fungi are used as decomposers: They break down the dead or decaying organisms and return the basic chemicals back to the environment.
They are used in food. Yeast is used to make bread. It uses sugar and releases carbon di oxide to form the holes in the bread. It is also used to make wine from grapes. Yeast cells feed on the sugar in the grapes and produce carbon dioxide and alcohol. Mushrooms are used in salads, soups and Pizza.
A fungus called Penicillium was discovered by Alexander Fleming. The antibiotic Penicillin in is used to kill bacteria.
Fungi cause diseases in humans like Athlete’s foot and ringworm. They also cause diseases in plants.
Some fungi live on the roots of plants. The hyphae help the plant get the nutrients and water and in turn the fungus gets food from the plants. This is an example of symbiotic mutualism.
Another example of symbiotic mutualism is Lichen: Fungus with an algae or fungus with autotrophic bacteria.