Do marsupials exist? This question is of interest to every second student who enthusiastically studies a biology course. These mushrooms belong to the kingdom, which includes representatives with a divided vegetative body. They have specific sexual elements - bags. They include eight ascospores. Some types of these mushrooms are imperfect, because in the process of life they lose their sexual capabilities. They also have asexual reproduction.
Real tissue in these mushrooms is almost never formed. The only exceptions are some parasitic organisms. Each member of this class contains chitin (from 20 to 25 percent) and glucan.
Marsupials live (representatives will be listed below) on the remains of plants or animals.
It is worth noting that many types of mold (red, brown, bluish-green) are ascomycetes. Thanks to the orange-pink fungus, the field of genetics has achieved manysuccess. Ascomycetes are distributed throughout the world.
The class of marsupials includes approximately 2,000 genera and 30,000 species. The most famous representatives are yeast, truffle, morel, parmelia, line.
Morphology
The vegetative body consists of several partitions that divide it. Thanks to him, the fungi are able to lose less cellular substance from the filamentous formation. If we compare ascomycetes and zygomycotes, it is worth noting that the former live long enough.
Marsupial is designed in such a way that its body is able to exchange cytoplasm, nuclei, organelles between spores. Each cell has, as a rule, one haploid structural element that stores and transmits hereditary information (DNA).
General information about reproduction and development
Marsupials have two ways of reproduction:
- anamorph (asexual way);
- teleomorph (has sex structures).
In biology, these two processes are called holomorphs. They are completely different from each other. Also, from an anamorph, an organism can move into a teleomorph. That is why ascomycetes born of the same species, but in different ways, are considered by scientists as separate representatives. Thanks to molecular research, science makes it easy to understand by what process a particular marsupial fungus was formed.
Anamorph (asexual path)
The anamorphic process is carried out thanks to the conidia. Costsnote that the morphology of the latter is quite diverse. Each of them can be either unicellular or multicellular. They have an unlimited number of transverse partitions. Conidia are often round in shape.
As a rule, the aquatic marsupial has elements of increased structural complexity. Such representatives live on the leaves of trees that have long been submerged in water.
Teleomorph (sexual reproduction) in lower forms
Mushrooms of this class can reproduce with the help of reproductive structures, but without the formation of gametes. To carry out this process, male and female organs are formed on the hyphae. In this, the characteristic of marsupials is similar to the description of algae - they also have slightly modified oogonia.
If we consider the lower forms, then the teleomorph is similar to zygogamy. This is explained by the fact that the formed gametangia have an identical appearance, and after the process of their association, the nuclei merge. But in these fungi, the last action does not affect all structural elements, so multiple karyogamy does not occur. After that, meiosis occurs, after which the zygote passes into the bag.
Teleomorph (sexual reproduction) in higher forms
Considering the process of reproduction in higher forms, it must be said that it is carried out a little more complicated than in lower ones. The archicarp extends to the askogon. In addition, it is differentiated. On the upper part it "comes" in the form of a tube. Antheridium is a unicellular element that hascylindrical shape. After the fusion of the cytoplasm, the nuclei do not converge, but approach each other. Dikaryons are formed. Their nuclei, in turn, are broken into pieces. In the process of reproduction, the marsupial fungus forms asci, after which the haploid nuclei converge. Without rest time, meiosis occurs. The formed nuclei are divided methodically. As a result, eight structural elements are formed.
Reproduction: conclusions
Depending on belonging to certain species of this class, reproduction can be simplified in many ways. For example, antheridia may not form - they are replaced by a vegetative body or conidia. By streams of air, water or through insects, spermatozoa are transferred to the trichogin, after which the cytoplasm of the cells merges. Hyphae and bags are formed not only randomly, but also on bodies where there are densely intertwined structural branches.
Fruiting bodies are divided into four types:
- Apothecia. Indigenous marsupial mushrooms with this species have a huge bag. Paraphyses can form in them.
- Perithecia. Bags of such mushrooms are closed completely or half. Their shape is jug-shaped.
- Cleistothecia. The fruiting body of such mushrooms has a closed shape.
- Pseudothecia. Such a body belongs only to a certain type of mushroom. The sexual process in them is carried out after the formation of gametangia. Perithecia are located on hyphae, which are called stroma.
Meaning for man andplanets
The life cycle of marsupial fungi is useful for the terrestrial sphere of the planet. Due to the fact that they destroy dry branches, trees, fallen leaves, the supply of carbon and nitrogen on Earth is replenished. For animals (for example, rodents, invertebrates, etc.), ascomycetes are food. There are especially many such mushrooms in the aquatic environment.
The predominant part of lichens is formed from marsupials. In their composition of these organisms - more than 95%. Mycorrhiza is also formed with their help. Some ants and termites "grow" a certain type of fungus in their bodies.
Often among ascomycetes there are parasitic representatives that are formed both in plants and in animals. They are also the causative agents of many fairly serious diseases. Marsupials also parasitize humans. Some foodstuffs consumed by humans are affected by ascomycetes.
Truffles and morels, which are representatives of these mushrooms, are often eaten by humans. Yeast is used for baking bakery products, making some drinks, and for creating medicines. Ascomycetes also find their uses in science.
Yeast is the most popular representative
This name brings together 1500 different representatives. They are able to live in liquid and semi-liquid substrates.
The word "yeast" is derived from the Proto-Slavic verb, which translates as "crush", "knead". This name is known to every Russian-speaking person. The root "trembling" literally accurately describes all the processes that occurduring the fermentation of these mushrooms. It is worth noting that in English the name sounds like yeast. Translated into Russian, it means "to release gas."
What marsupials (yeast) look like is known to everyone, because they have been used by housewives for baking for several centuries. Beer began to be brewed about six thousand years ago, even then these mushrooms were used. People mastered the technology of baking a little later - by 1200 BC. e.
Yeast was first discovered under a microscope in 1680, but then, due to the lack of at least some movements, they were not recognized as living organisms. A little later, a theory was put forward that yeast is actually biological substances, and their reactions are chemical. Over time, this theory was refuted. Alcoholic fermentation has been proven to be a natural process.
Types of yeast
Yeast is divided into five types: baker's, dry, beer, pressed and wine.
Baker's mushrooms are available in every store. They can be stored for a long time, and their structure is so simple that it is easy to make dough from them even for a child.
Pressed mushrooms do not live long: without a refrigerator, they can be kept for no more than 14 days. And at high temperatures, they can deteriorate in less than a week. If you put them below the freezer, then the mushrooms will be suitable for another 2 months. They should be dissolved in warm water before use.
Dry yeast is a mushroom with a long shelf life. In a cool place where there is no high humidity, they are able tolie down for 2 years. If they are active, then they should be dissolved in water (necessarily warm). Instant mushrooms are also bred, but they will be ready for use in 10-15 minutes.
Beer mushrooms are divided into a huge number of subspecies. Given that each of them has different tastes and smells, then the drink made from them also has different characteristics. Such mushrooms are distributed in liquid form, so they do not need to be dissolved. They are also often used for kvass, but unlike beer, this drink also contains lactic bacteria.
Fed yeast is also available, but it is not recommended to add it to human food.
