The Amazing World of Fungus and Protists

Designed by yours truly….so you better appreciate it!

What is a protist?

Eukaryotes that are not classified as animals, plants or fungi.

Protists are classified by the way they obtain nutrition

3 Types of Protists

Animal-like protists- Protozoa Plant-like protists- algae and kelp,

photosynthetic Fungus-like protists-decomposers, slime

molds

Protozoa or animal-like Protists

Zooflagellates

Move using flagella

Giardia and Trypanosoma

Causes stomach upsets, diarrhea, comes from contaminated water Causes African sleeping

sickness, spread by the tsetse fly

Giardia

Trypanosoma

Protozoa or animal-like Protists

Amoebas and Forams Move using pseudopodia or false feet

Protozoa or animal-like Protists

CiliatesUse cilia for movement and feeding

Paramecium live in freshwater environments.

Paramecium

Protozoa or animal-like Protists

Some protozoans can’t move at all on their own

They are called apicomplexans.

These include Plasmodium which causes malaria, it is transmitted by mosquitos.

Malaria stinks!

Fungus-like protists-slime molds

These are NASTY! Very much like real fungus because it makes fungus like hairs on it and makes sporangia and fruiting bodies.

Slime molds, water molds, and downy mildews

Irish potato famine was caused by a downy mildew.

Slime Molds

Fungus-like protists

They are like real fungus because they break down organic material and are important decomposers and recyclers in the ecosystem.

Thank you Mr. fungus-like protist!

Plant-like protists

Include algae Include euglenoids-single-celled

photosynthetic protists, they are green Dinoflagellates cause red tide, mostly

unicellular

Plankton-microscopic organisms

Phytoplankton- photosynthetic protists that often float along with the currents of the ocean, include dinoflagellates

Zooplankton- animal-like protists in the ocean Plankton makes the base of the food chain in

many ecosystems

Other plant like protists

Diatoms have a glass like shell surrounding them

Seaweeds aren’t actually plants but a form of algae which is a protist

There are 3 kinds of algae, green, brown and red, which are used for many purposes

Diatoms are Pretty!

Green Algae-most well known

Chlamydomonas can sense and swim towards light

Volvox is a colonial algae shaped like a ball

Ulva are multicellular and form long strings and look just like plants

Holy Green Algae, Batman!

Brown-nosers!

The Red coats are coming!

Plants, fungi and animals evolved from protists. Endosymbiotic theory suggests that

organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts were capture protists that formed a relationship with early animal cells

Mitochondria and chloroplasts have separate DNA with the rest of the cell

They have double membranes indicating they were “folded” in to the early cells

YAY, we love fungus!

Hyphae are tiny threads of cytoplasm surrounded by a plasma membrane and a cell wall.

Hyphae are wound together and make up most of the fungus and when they branch out and grow underground, they form an interwoven mat o stuff called a mycelium

There’s a fungus among us!

Fungus feed by decomposing other organisms and absorbing the nutrients.

Fungi reproduce using spores. There are 4 types of fungus classified by

reproductive structures and physical structures.

The Zygote Fungi (Zygomycota)

Some types of mold are actually zygote fungi.

Makes structures called sporangia which they reproduce asexually with during times of prosperity and abundant nutrition.

Make structures called zygosporangium to reproduce sexually when times are tough. This helps them tolerate harsh conditions.

The Zygote Fungi (Zygomycota)

Sporangia

Sac Fungi- Ascomycota

Include many that we can eat like morels and truffles.

They form reproductive structures called the fruiting body which is what we see and sometimes eat.

Forms an ascus which is the sac in which the cells fuse to create spores to reproduce.

Sac Fungi- Ascomycota

The Club Fungi- Basiomycota

Includes most of the fungi you are familiar with

Mushrooms yay!!!!!!!

Forms structures called basidium which is used for reproduction.

Makes fairy rings. Fairy rings are the outer edges of the fungus mycelium.

Some mushrooms grow rapidly and appear within a few hours.

The Club Fungi- Basiomycota

Yeasts

Makes great bread but stinks when you have athlete’s foot.

Reproduce asexually like bacteria through budding and simple cell division.

One of the few single-celled types of fungi

Imperfect fungi

Some fungi are confused and are types of yeast but reproduce using an ascus like a sac fungus or a basidium like a club fungus. Sometimes nothing is know about their reproduction so they are classified as imperfect.

Yeast cell

Who you callin’

imperfect?!!

Imperfect fungi (Chytridiomycota )

Other notes

Some fungi which look like molds are actually classified as other things because of their reproduction.

Pencillium is a bread “mold” but is classified as a sac fungus because is produces an ascus.

A mold is classified as anything which is a fungus that grows fast, so that could mean pretty much anything.

Fungi have a major impact on other life. Fungi are symbiotic in some cases. A lichen is a pairing between a fungus and an

algae. The fungus is a sac fungus because it does produce an ascus or fruiting body.

Mycorrhizae are found in 90% of all tree species. This fungus increases the surface area of the roots to improve nutrition absorption.

Some plants, (mostly endangered) can’t grow without their mycorrhizae partners.

Lichens= sac fungus + algae

Mycorrhizae

Disease Causing Fungi

Of the 100,000 known species of fungi, about 30% are parasites mostly on or in plants. Dutch Elm disease has eliminated most elm trees in North

America. It evolved in Europe and was accidently transported in logs to America. American elms did not grow up with the fungus

and had no resistance to it. About 50 species of fungus are known to be parasitic on

animals. Some are yeast infections of  the lungs which can be fatal. Other fungal parasites produce a skin disease called ringworm

because it forms red rings on the skin. Another highly contagious condition is athlete’s foot.

Fungal Diseases

Fungal Diseases

Commercial Uses of Fungi

Truffles are a delicacy that are hunted by dogs and pigs that can smell them underground.

They cost hundreds of dollars per kilogram and are used in fancy restaurants.

A certain strain of Penicillium is inject into cheese which ripens and forms bleu cheese.

Commercial Uses of Fungi

The Role of Fungi in Chemical Cycling Fungi and bacteria are the principal

decomposers that supply ecosystems with the nutrients essential for plant growth.

Fungi destroy 10-50% of the world’s fruit harvest every year.

The air is completely loaded with fungal spores.

When something dies, it is completely invaded and decomposed.

Fungus as decomposers