Definition

Mycology is the study of fungi.

Fungi is a simple organism (formerly regarded as a plant) that lacks of green pigment
chlorophyll.(Dorland)
Structure of fungi
Fungi grow in 2 basic form : i) mould

ii) yeast

1. Mould
Growth in mould form occurs by production of multicellular filamentous colonies.
These colonies contain branching cylindric tubules called hyphae,diameter from
2um to 10um.
The accumulation of hyphae during the active growth is mycelium.
Some hyphae are divided into cells by cross wall septa,typically forming at
regular intervals during hypal growth.
Zygomycetes(important mould) produces hyphae that are rarely septated.
Hyphae that penetrate supporting medium and absorb nutrient are substrate or
vegetative hyphae.
Aerial hyphae project above surface of mycelium and usually bear the
reproductive structures of mould.
In laboratory, mould produce colonies.

2. Yeast
Single cell usually spherically to ellipsoid shape with diameter 3 um to 15 um.
Most yeasts reproduce by budding.
Some produce buds that characteristically fail to detach and become elongated
continue budding process then produce a chain of elongated yeast cells called
pseudohyphae.
Yeast colonies soft, opaque, 1-3mm in size and cream-coloured

Characteristics of fungi

The non-motile cells belong to the kingdom Fungi.

The cell walls of these non-motile cells are made of chitin.
Fungi are heterotrophic organisms. The only difference between other heterotrophic animals
and fungi is that fungi digest and then ingest the food. Fungi releases enzymes on the body of
the other living things and thrive on them.
There is no embryonic stage for fungi. A fungus develops from spores, and are both sexual
and asexual.
Though most of the fungi are single cellular, most of the fungi species grow as multi-cellular
filaments called hyphae. The hyphae form a mycelium.
An interesting characteristic of fungi is that like a plant, fungi too have an alternation of
generations.
The cytoplasmic ultrastructure of fungi is similar to plant cells. However, they differ
significantly in their structures and their organelles.
The fungi store their food in the form of glycogen.
The cell membrane of a fungus has a unique sterol and ergosterol.
Many of the fungi have a small nuclei with repetitive DNA.
Mitosis takes place without dissolution of the nuclear envelop.
Classification
Fungi can be classified in 4 phyla:
i.
Zygomycota (Zygomycetes)- sexual reproduction result in
zygospore.
-asexual reproduction occur via sporangia
-vegetative hyphae sparsely septate
-ex: Rhizopus, Absidia, Mucor,
Cunninghamella,Pilobolus
ii.

Ascomycota (Ascomycetes)-Sexual reproduction result in ascospore

-asexual reproduction is via conidia
-mould have septate hyphae
-ex:yeast( Saccharomyces, Candida)
mould( Coccidiodes,Blastomyces,Trichophyton)

iii.

Basidiomycota (Basidomycetes)-Sexual reproduction result in

basidiospores
-Hyphae have complex septa
-ex: mushroom, Cryptococcus

iv.

Chytridiomycota