Fungi or Fungus

The fungi constitutes a large and diverse group of organisms that share some characteristics with both lower plants (algae) and lower animals but are not closely related to either. They contain true mitochondria and membrane-enclosed nuclei, lack chlorophyll and chloroplasts, and reproduce by both asexual and sexual means. Most fungi grow as branched tubular systems, or mycelia, whose individual filaments, or hyphae, are surrounded by rigid cell walls containing chitin, cellulose, or both, and other polysaccharides. All fungi lack photosynthetic ability and therefore require preformed organic compounds. They exist throughout the world.

Industrial Uses

The microfungi are most often used commercially because of their rapid growth. Brewer’s yeast was used for brewing beer, fermenting grapes and other substances to produce wines, and starting mashes for distilled spirits long before the process of fermentation was scientifically understood. Alcohol, the product of fermentation, also has chemical and medical uses. Baker’s yeast is equally important in the baking industry. Camembert cheese derives its flavor from Penicillium camemberti, and Roquefort from P. roqueforti. Soy sauce is fermented with Aspergillus oryzae or A. soyae.

Antibiotics were first produce (1929) using penicillin from P. notatum. A huge antibiotic industry has since developed. Only a few of the many antibiotics now available, however, are of fungal origin: the penicilins, the cephalosporins, and gresiofulvin, which is one of the few effective antifungal antibiotics. Various fungi are used to produce a number of organic acids, and in other chemical processes. Fungi are also grown for the production of enzymes such as the acid proteases, which are used for meat tenderizing and bread making.