Ozlem Gulmez

By Ozlem Gulmez and Ozlem Baris

Fungi, an important group with a wide variety of species, shows spectacular development with their unique cell structures. Fungi survive in many different ecosystems with their reproductive abilities and metabolic features. Thanks to wide temperature and pH tolerances, fungi develop on organic and inorganic materials in all ecosystems they are in and maintain the existence of ecosystems by taking part in many cycles. However, examples of pathogens are also available. They are a group of organisms that are environmentally important, such as saprophytes and mutualists, but are pathogens for animals, especially plants. Fungi basically have two different cell structures: yeast, and molds. But some fungi have both of these structures. Depending on the temperature of the environment they are in, they can be found in yeast or mold structures, and fungi with this feature are called dimorphic fungi. Whether it is yeast, mold, or dimorphic fungi, they use their enzymes with high activity to benefit from the nutrients in the environment. Fungi can be easily grown in natural and synthetic media. Yeast can reproduce rapidly with their single-celled structure, while molds and mushrooms are very successful with their hyphae structures.

Part of the book: Fungal Reproduction and Growth