Transcript families

General characteristics

• • •

Hyphae are coenocytic Flagellated spores are absent Most reproduce asexually by producing sporangiospores within a special sac called the sporangium .

Sexual spores are called zygospores contained within a zygosporangium formed following gametangial fusion / copulation

Classification

• Two classes: Zygomycetes and •

• •

Trichomycetes.

Zygomycetes

• 870 species in 124 genera, 32 families and 10 orders.

Trichomycetes

• 218 species in 55 genera, 6 families and 3 orders.

Family

Mortierellaceae

Class: zygomycete.

order mucorales

Family

Mucoraceae

Family

Chaenophoraceae

Family

Cephalidaceae

Family

Thamnidiaceae

Family

Pilobolaceae

Asexual reproduction

• Reproduce asexually by sporangiospores in most orders of the Zygomycetes, conidia Entomophthorales and arthrospores in the in some Trichomycetes • Sporangium types (4 types) • True sporangium • Sporangioles - much smaller than true sporangia. No columella produced and few spores (1-50) • • Monosporous sporangium (one-spored sporangium) Merosporangium - sac containing 10 -15 sporangiospores that occur in a linear sequence

columella rhizoids

Rhizopus

sporangium sporangiophore

Sexual Reproduction

• •

Gametangial copulation Homo- & heterothallic species

• • •

Heterothallism the condition of being self-sterile, requiring a partner for sexual reproduction

Homothallism the condition of being self fertile; able to reproduce sexually without a partner exhibited among species in this phylum zygos (Gr.) - yoke, joining Refers to the fusion of gametangia to form a unique structure called the zygosporangium

Zygosporangium

gametangium

Sexual Reproduction

+ Mycelium Suspensors Progametangia Zygospore Gametangia Zygote

Zygomycota Life Cycle

Order Mucorales

• 30% of known zygomycetes (~300 spp.) • Well developed, typically

coenocytic mycelium

• Wall composition of

chitosan

,

chitin

and

polyglucoronic

acid • Asexual reproduction by formation of

sporangiospores

cleaved out from the cytoplasm of

sporangia

Chlamydospores

may be formed • Called

mucoralean

or

mucoraceous

fungi

Mucorales

• Members of this group are the "weeds" of the fungal world • Common genera include

Mucor

,

Absidia

,

Rhizopus

, and

Pilobolu

s . • Grow and invade quickly on easily digestible substrates , such as those • Can act as parasites

containing starches, sugars, and hemicelluloses

and/or cause diseases in plants , animals and some insects and humans • In humans, such diseases are opportunistic and occur in an immunocompromised person (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, AIDS)

Order Mucorales: Body plan

rhizoids:

root-like hyphae that adhere reproductive structures to substrate • stolon: connect two groups of rhizoids

Classification of mucorales

Mucorales is divided into the following

families:

1 Mucoraceae : sporangia always present, columellae present, zygospor usually naked; wall of the sporangium homogenous, not cuticularized, usually diffluent, sporangia of one sort.

2-

Thamnidiaceae

: sporangia of two – sorts, primary and secondary. e.g.

Thamnidium

sp.

3-

Pilobolaceae

: wall cuticularized and persistent above,thin and diffluent below. E.g.

pilobolus

sp .

4-

Mortierellaceae

: columella absent; zygospore enveloped in a dense hyphal covering. E.g.

mortierelle sp.