For a very long time, ancient scientists mistakenly classified fungi in the same group as plants. And this was done only because of their external similarity. After all, mushrooms, like plants, cannot move. And at first glance, they do not look like animals at all. However, once the scientists were able to examine the cells, they found that the fungal cell was similar in many ways to the animal cell. Therefore, these living organisms are no longer classified as plants. However, they cannot be attributed to animals either, since the fungal cell, in addition to similarities, also has a number of differences from the animal. In this regard, fungi were identified as a separate kingdom. Thus, in nature there are five kingdoms of living organisms: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Main Features of the Mushroom Cell
Mushrooms are eukaryotes. These are living organisms whose cells contain a nucleus. It is necessary in order to protect the genetic information recorded on DNA. Eukaryotes, in addition to fungi, are animals and plants.
There are both unicellular and multicellular fungi.
A fungus cell, like all eukaryotic cells, consists of three parts: the plasma membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm. The latter contains organelles and inclusions. The organelles are permanent. They perform certain functions in the cell. Inclusions are unstable. They basically perform a spare function. They do not have such a complex structure as organelles. Basically, these are just drops or crystals of nutrients that the mushroom cell can use when needed.
How is a fungus cell similar to a plant cell?
The main similarity lies in the fact that the structure of the fungal cell provides for the presence of a cell wall on top of the plasma membrane. Such formation is not typical for animal cells, but in plants it is also present. However, in representatives of the flora, the cell wall is built of cellulose, while in fungi it consists of chitin.
Similarities of a fungus cell and an animal
The main feature that makes the structure of a mushroom cell look like an animal is the presence of inclusions from glycogen. Unlike plants, which store starch, fungi, like animals, store glycogen.
Another similar feature is the way the cell is fed. Mushrooms are heterotrophs, that is, they receive ready-made organic substances from the outside. Plants are autotrophs. They photosynthesize, obtaining nutrients on their own.
Organoids
The mushroom cell shown below has organelles such as mitochondria, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, cell center and Golgi complex.
Besides, in the old mushroom cage,vacuole present. All of the above organelles perform their functions. Consider them in a brief table.
| Organoid | Function |
| Mitochondria | Cellular respiration (energy production) |
| Ribosome | The process of translation (the formation of a polypeptide chain from individual amino acids) |
| Endoplasmic reticulum | Synthesis of fats, participation in metabolism |
| Lysosomes | Cell Digestion |
| Cell center | Participation in the process of cell division |
| Golgi complex | Synthesis of organic substances, classification of proteins |
Unlike plants, fungal cells do not contain plastids. In plants, these organelles are responsible for photosynthesis (chloroplasts) and petal color (chromoplasts). Fungi also differ from plants in that in their case only the old cell has a vacuole. Plant cells, on the other hand, have this organoid throughout their entire life cycle.
Mushroom core
Because they are eukaryotes, each of their cells contains a nucleus. It is designed to protect the genetic information recorded on DNA, as well as to coordinate all processes occurring in the cell.
This structure has a nuclear membrane, in which there are special pores, consisting of special proteins - nucleoprions. Thanks to the pores, the nucleus can exchange substances with the cytoplasm.
The environment that is inside the membrane,called karyoplasm. It contains DNA in the form of chromosomes.
Unlike plants and animals, whose cells usually contain a single nucleus (an exception may be, for example, multinucleated muscle tissue cells or non-nuclear platelets), a mushroom cell often has not one, but two or more nuclei.
Conclusion - variety of mushrooms
So, when we have already figured out how the cell of these organisms is arranged, let's briefly consider their varieties.
First of all, there are unicellular and multicellular fungi. Among unicellular organisms, yeasts are the most famous and widely used by humans. In addition, there are a number of single-celled fungi that parasitize other organisms, thereby causing a variety of diseases such as powdery mildew in plants or ringworm in animals.
Multicellular fungi, depending on the structure, are divided into the following classes: basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, oomycetes, zygomycetes and chytridiomycetes.
