Phylum Zygomycota (pin and bread molds)
Basic features:
Terrestrial, hyphae haploid, septate, cell walls made of chitin
Saprophytic
Produced complex reproductive structure; zygosporangium with one zygospore
Asexual Reproduction:
Nonmotile spores on aerial sporangia
Spores are air dispersed
Sexual Reproduction
When two hyphae come in contact, they produce Gametangia by the initiation of process of conjugation (fusion), and two haploid nuclei into a common cell and fertilize with a thickened wall; Zygosporangium
Phylum Ascomycota (cup or sac fungi)
Include: morels, truffles, yeasts, dutch elm disease, corn blight
Basic features:
Hyphae are septate and monokaryotic (having one nucleus per compartment)
Produce complete reproductive structure called ascocarp with 8 ascospores
Asexual Reproduction:
Produce a sporangium-like conidium , within it called as conidiospores
Some species - no sexual reproduction seen, produce only conidia:
a) Penicillium - flavoring in cheese (blue, Roquefort, Camembert)
b) Aspergillus - aid in fermentation of soybean to produce Tofu
Sexual Reproduction
Hypal fusion leads to production of dikaryotic cells which in turn form into ascocarp. and through meiosis it produces 8 ascospores.
Three types of sporocarps:
1) Apothecium - most common, cup fungi, morels
2) Perithecium - small flask-shape with small opening
3) Cleistothecium - no opening, release by decomposition
Yeasts: most common Saccharomyces
Yeast are single celled having diploid nucleus, mostly reproduce asexually by budding
Sexual reproduction through meiosis to from 4 ascospores.
Phylum Basidiomycota (club fungi)
Include: mushrooms, coral fungi, rusts, smuts
Basic features:
- Mainly terrestrial
Hyphae are septate and monokaryotic (having one nucleus per compartment)
Produce complete reproductive structure called basidiocarp with 4 basidiospores
Sexual Reproduction