Question

Biology Tutorial: Introduction to Mycology

Answer 1

Note: This is a reference for educational/studying purposes, not a question, please save all comments or questions for the end.

If you want to make your own tutorial that's fine but please don't copy-paste my intro and ending messages, that's really rude.

Answer 2

\({\bf{the~Basics:}}\)

characteristics of fungi:
- eukaryotic
- bear spores
- may have asexual/sexual reproductive cycles
- may be free-living or have symbiotic relationships with plants/animals
- break down and release nutrients from their environment, ex. nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus
- model organism: Sacchromyces cerevisae (yeast)
- cell walls made of chitin and sometimes melanin
- visible part = sporophore/fruiting body
- can vary wildly in size from unicellular to several meters in length (world record is a type of honey fungus that is 3.8 km across)

\({\bf{Growth~Types:}}\)
- mold: filamentous multicellular growth (hyphae, which collectively make up the mycelium)
- yeast: budding, unicellular
- dimorphic: growing as either structure depending on enviornment
- thermally dimorphic: growing as either structure depending on temperature

\({\bf{Basic~Growth~Cycle:}}\)
spore germination -> growth as hyphae -> spore production -> spore release -> spore attachment -> continuation of cycle

Answer 3

\({\bf{Obtaining~Nutrients:}}\)
heterotrophic (break down nutrients using digestive enzymes); out of these, some are also saphrotrophic (break down nutrients from dead matter)

\({\bf{Symbiosis:}}\)

- mutualism:
> can release nutrients from dead matter for organisms to use
> can be used to produce medicine
> can form mychorrhizae; exchange phosphorus, water, and protection for plant sugars
- parasitism (typically of plants or animals, ex. Endothia parasitica, Candida albicans)
> note: many fungi can be harmless until the host is immunocompromised

\({\bf{Fungal~Diseases:}}\) fungal metabolites
-Candidiasis: infection of GI tract/mucous membranes by the genus Candida esp. Candida albicans
-Aspergillus: a soil microbe that is the primary cause of Invasive Fungal Disease in mammals/birds
-Histoplasmosis: the most common in N. America, is thermally dimorphic, infects through the inhalation of spores

\({\bf{Antifungals:}}\)

Azole fungicides: targets membranes
Echinocandins: targetes cell wall (low toxicity + broad spectrum)
fluorinated pyrmidines: targets nucleic acid synthesis
polyenes: targets membranes, forms pores, also toxic

Answer 4

Anyway that's the end, I hope this is a useful resource. I am not an expert by any means but I will attempt to answer questions to the best of my ability.