Lecture 04, 5

• What is the study of fungi called?

  Mycology
• What are the characteristics of fungal spores?

  They are reproductive units of fungi
• How can fungi cause disease?

  By invading host tissues and causing infections
• How are fungal infectious agents related to diseases?

  They directly cause specific diseases in hosts
• What type of cells are fungi classified as?

  Eukaryotic
• How do fungi obtain nutrients?

  By absorbing nutrients from their environment
• What is the main component of fungal cell walls?

  Chitin
• What sterol is found in fungal cell membranes?

  Ergosterol
• What type of respiration do fungi perform?

  Aerobic or facultative anaerobic
• What role do enzymes play in fungi?

  They break down complex molecules into smaller compounds
• What is a glucan?

  A polysaccharide derived from D-glucose
• What is the significance of ergosterol in fungi?

  It is a target for antifungal drugs
• What is a unicellular fungus called?

  Yeast
• What are two examples of unicellular yeasts?

  Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans
• How do yeasts reproduce?

  Asexually by budding or sexually through spores

  
• What are multicellular filamentous fungi called?

  Mould
• What are hyphae?

  Long branched filaments forming mycelium
• What is mycelium?

  A tangled mass of hyphae
• What are septate hyphae?

  Hyphae divided by cross walls called septa
• What is the function of pores in septate fungi?

  Allow cytoplasm to flow between cells
• How do hyphae grow rapidly?

  When food, water, and temperature are favourable
• What are non-septate hyphae also known as?

  Coenocytic hyphae

  
• What is asexual reproduction in fungi?

  Reproduction without the fusion of gametes
• What is budding in yeast?

  A smaller daughter cell forms from a parent cell
• What are blastospores?

  Thin-walled spores produced by budding
• What are zygospores?

  Sexually produced resting spores from plasmogamy
• What are ascospores?

  Characteristic spores of Ascomycotina fungi
• What defines primary true fungal pathogens?

  They can actively invade tissues of any host
• What are opportunistic pathogens?

  Pathogens that infect only susceptible individuals
• What is an example of an opportunistic pathogen?

  Candida albicans
• What is systemic mycosis?

  Fungal infections that spread throughout the body
• What is thermal dimorphism in fungi?

  Switching morphology based on temperature
• What is the primary habitat of Histoplasma capsulatum?

  Soil high in bird guano
• What disease does Blastomyces dermatitidis cause?

  Blastomycosis
• What is the primary habitat of Coccidioides immitis?

  Alkaline desert soils
• What disease does Paracoccidioides brasiliensis cause?

  Paracoccidioidomycosis
• What is the pathogenesis of fungi?

  Growth at elevated temperature and penetration ability
• How do fungi adhere to host surfaces?

  By resisting physical clearing mechanisms
• What are necrotic factors in fungi?

  Factors that help fungi overcome host barriers
• What role do biofilms play in fungal infections?

  They protect pathogens from the immune system