Fungus
hideDikarya (inc. Deuteromycota)
A fungus (pronounced /ˈfʌŋɡəs/) is a eukaryotic organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi (pronounced /ˈfʌndʒaɪ/ or /ˈfʌŋɡaɪ/). The fungi are a monophyletic group, also called the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that is phylogenetically distinct from the structurally similar slime molds (myxomycetes) and water molds (oomycetes). Fungi are heterotrophic organisms that possess a chitinous cell wall, and most species grow as multicellular filaments called hyphae that form a mycelium; some species grow as single cells. Fungi reproduce sexually or asexually via spores, which are often produced on specialized structures or in fruiting bodies. Some fungi have lost the ability to form reproductive structures, and propagate solely by vegetative growth. Commonly known fungi include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms, which are general descriptions based on appearance and growth form that are often applied to groups of unrelated species. The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology, which is often regarded as a branch of botany, but fungi are genetically more closely related to animals than to plants.
Abundant worldwide, most fungi are invisible to the naked eye because of the very small size of their vegetative structures. They live mainly in soil, on dead matter, and as symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi. They perform an essential role in decomposing organic matter in ecosystems and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange. Fungi may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or molds. They have long been used as a direct source of food, such as mushrooms and truffles, as a leavening agent for bread, and in fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. More recently, fungi have been used as sources for various enzymes important in industry and used in detergents, and, since the 1940s, for the production of antibiotics. Fungi are used as biological agents to control weeds and pests. Many species produce bioactive compounds called mycotoxins, such as alkaloids and polyketides that are toxic to animals including humans. The fruiting structures of a few species are consumed recreationally or in traditional ceremonies as a source of psychotropic compounds. Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses due to fungal diseases of crops (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.
The fungus kingdom encompasses an enormous diversity of taxa with varied ecologies and life cycle strategies, and morphologies ranging from amoeba-like protists and single-celled aquatic chytrids to large mushrooms. However, little is known of the true biodiversity of Kingdom Fungi, which has been estimated at around 1.5 million species, with about 5% of these having been formally classified. Ever since the pioneering 18th and 19th century taxonomical works of Carl Linnaeus, Christian Hendrik Persoon, and Elias Magnus Fries, fungi have been classified according to their morphology (e.g., characteristics such as spore color or microscopic features) or physiology. Advances in molecular genetics have opened the way for DNA analysis to be incorporated into taxonomy, which has sometimes challenged the historical groupings based on morphology and other traits. Phylogenetic studies published in the last decade have helped reshape the classification of Kingdom Fungi, which is divided into one subkingdom, seven phyla, and ten subphyla.
For more information about Fungus, read the full article at
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News tagged with fungus
Rot-resistant wheat could save farmers millions
Oct 28, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- CSIRO researchers have identified wheat and barley lines resistant to Crown Rot - a disease that costs Australian wheat and barley farmers $79 million in lost yield every year.
Doppler Ultrasound Helps Scientists Understand Fescue Toxicosis
Oct 21, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Doppler technology -- the very same technology used by meteorologists to track thunderstorms -- is being used by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists to better understand the rate ...
Changing smell of plants announces fungus attack
Oct 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Tomato plants under attack from the Botrytis fungus give off an aromatic substance that can be measured in greenhouses. This is the result of research performed by Roel Jansen with which he ...
Catching a killer one spore at a time
Oct 19, 2009 |
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A workshop at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama has dramatically improved the ability of conservationists and regulatory agencies to monitor the spread of chytridiomycosis—one of the deadliest ...
Hardy New Corn Lines Released
Oct 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Six new inbred maize lines with resistance to aflatoxin contamination have now been registered in the United States by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). ARS plant pathologist Robert ...
Sweet Potato Protection is More Than Skin Deep
Oct 15, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Sweet potatoes are a seasonal staple that earn U.S. producers some $370 million every year. Now Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have found traits in sweet potatoes that someday ...
Major breakthrough could lead to new antibiotics for human use
Oct 14, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The means to fully understand and exploit a type of fungus that could form the basis of a new class of antibiotics has been developed by researchers at the University of Bristol. With certain ...
Termites travel with fungi as take-away food
Oct 08, 2009 |
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Fungi travelled to Madagascar in the intestines of termites. Fungus serves as a source of food and helps in cellulose conversion.
New ancient fungus finding suggests world's forests were wiped out in global catastrophe
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Oct 01, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists beleive extinct fungus species capitalised on a world-wide disaster and thrived on early Earth.
Sex life may hold key to honeybee survival
Sep 14, 2009 |
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The number and diversity of male partners a queen honeybee has could help to protect her children from disease, say University of Leeds scientists, who are investigating possible causes of the widespread increase ...
'Biotech violin' outdoes Stradivarius
Sep 14, 2009 |
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At the 27th "Osnabrücker Baumpflegetagen," one of Germany’s most important annual conferences on all aspects of forest husbandry, Empa researcher Francis Schwarze’s "biotech violin" dared to go head to he ...
Dandelion rubber
Sep 10, 2009 |
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Most natural rubber comes from rubber trees in Southeast Asia, but this source is now under threat from a fungus. Researchers have optimized the Russian dandelion to make it suitable for large-scale rubber ...
Critter control, au natural
Aug 27, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- It’s surprising how much havoc the tiny termite can wreak. Each year infestations of these insects cause an estimated $30 billion in damage to buildings and crops nationwide. Historically, ...
Ant has given up sex completely, researchers say
Aug 26, 2009 |
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The complete asexuality of a widespread fungus-gardening ant, the only ant species in the world known to have dispensed with males entirely, has been confirmed by a team of Texas and Brazilian researchers.
Parasite causes zombie ants to die in an ideal spot
Aug 11, 2009 |
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A study in the September issue of The American Naturalist describes new details about a fungal parasite that coerces ants into dying in just the right spot -- one that is ideal for the fungus to grow and reproduce. The st ...
