News: Recently, there has been an increase in Fungal infection in India.
About Fungi
- Fungi are eukaryotic organisms belonging to the Kingdom Fungi.
- They include a diverse range of forms such as yeasts, molds, truffles, and mushrooms.
- Most fungi are microscopic, made up of thread-like filaments called hyphae (<10 µm diameter).
- Hyphae collectively form a mycelium, which absorbs nutrients from the environment instead of performing photosynthesis.
- Fungi obtain nutrients from soil, water, decaying matter, or living hosts (as parasites).
- Their cell wall is made of chitin, unlike plant (cellulose) or bacterial (peptidoglycan) cell walls.
- Major Types of Fungi (Based on Sexual Reproduction)
- Chytridiomycota (Chytrids): It is oldest group of fungi. They are mostly unicellular and aquatic, with a single flagellum for movement. They are often parasitic on insects, plants, or amphibians.
- Zygomycota (Conjugated Fungi): They commonly appear as molds on decaying materials. Some species act as parasites of insects.
- Ascomycota (Sac Fungi): It is the largest group of fungi. It includes yeasts, truffles, and morels (some are edible). Many produce toxic secondary metabolites or act as plant parasites.
- Basidiomycota (Club Fungi): It includes mushroom-forming fungi. It is characterized by club-shaped reproductive cells (basidia) that produce spores. Mushrooms are the spore-bearing fruiting bodies consisting of a cap, stem, and gills (though some lack these parts).
- Reproduction in Fungi
- Asexual Reproduction: It occurs through fragmentation of mycelium or spore formation. It produces clonal populations, allowing rapid spread in favorable conditions.
- Sexual Reproduction: It involves meiosis, leading to genetic recombination and diversity. It can occur between different mating types (heterothallic) or within the same mycelium (homothallic).
