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Fungi is one of the main kingdoms along with Plantae and Animalea. This kingdom consists of 5 phyla- Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Glomeropycota, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Fungi main source of nutrition is through absorption. Fungi can either reproduce asexually or sexually. Most reproduce both ways but there are some classes that reproduce through one way. Classification of fungi is based on how they reproduce sexually. Asuexual reproduction produces clones by mitotic production of spores. These spores can be spread by air or water. Sexual reproduction begins when hyphae from two distinct mycelia release sexual signalling molecules- pheramones. Each partner then bind to receptors on the surface of the other and the hyphae fuse when they meet. The union of cytoplasm of the two parent mycelia is known as plasmogamy. Then the fungi reach the heterokaryotic stage. This is where instead of the cytoplasm fusing right away parts of the mycelia contain coexisting genetically different nuclei. Sexual and asexual reproduction is pictured to the left. |
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