A sporangium (pl. sporangia)[2] (modern Latin, from Greek σπόρος (sporos), 'spore' + ἀγγεῖον (angeion), 'vessel') is an enclosure in which spores are formed.[3] It can be composed of a single cell or can be multicellular. All plants, fungi, and many other lineages form sporangia at some point in their life cycle. Sporangia can produce spores by mitosis, but in nearly all land plants and many fungi, sporangia are the site of meiosis and produce genetically distinct haploid spores.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporangium
A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleusthat is the product of meiosis, and they are produced by specialized fungal cells called basidia. Typically, four basidiospores develop on appendages from each basidium, out of these 2 are of one strain and other 2 of its opposite strain. In gills under a cap of one common species, there exist millions of basidia. Some gilled mushrooms in the order Agaricales have the ability to release billions of spores.[1] The puffball fungus Calvatia gigantea has been calculated to produce about five trillion basidiospores.[2] Most basidiospores are forcibly discharged, and are thus considered ballistospores.[3] These spores serve as the main air dispersal units for the fungi. The spores are released during periods of high humidity and generally have a night-time or pre-dawn peak concentration in the atmosphere.[1]
When basidiospores encounter a favorable substrate, they may germinate, typically by forming hyphae. These hyphae grow outward from the original spore, forming an expanding circle of mycelium. The circular shape of a fungal colony explains the formation of fairy rings, and also the circular lesions of skin-infecting fungi that cause ringworm. Some basidiospores germinate repetitively by forming small spores instead of hyphae.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basidiospore
Marine fungi are species of fungi that live in marine or estuarine environments. They are not a taxonomic group, but share a common habitat. Obligate marine fungi grow exclusively in the marine habitat while wholly or sporadically submerged in sea water. Facultative marine fungi normally occupy terrestrial or freshwater habitats, but are capable of living or even sporulating in a marine habitat. About 444 species of marine fungi have been described, including seven genera and ten species of basidiomycetes, and 177 genera and 360 species of ascomycetes. The remainder of the marine fungi are chytrids and mitosporic or asexual fungi.[2] Many species of marine fungi are known only from spores and it is likely a large number of species have yet to be discovered.[3] In fact, it is thought that less than 1% of all marine fungal species have been described, due to difficulty in targeting marine fungal DNA and difficulties that arise in attempting to grow cultures of marine fungi.[4] It is impracticable to culture many of these fungi, but their nature can be investigated by examining seawater samples and undertaking rDNAanalysis of the fungal material found.[3]
Different marine habitats support very different fungal communities. Fungi can be found in niches ranging from ocean depths and coastal waters to mangrove swamps and estuaries with low salinity levels.[5] Marine fungi can be saprobic or parasitic on animals, saprobic or parasitic on algae, saprobic on plants or saprobic on dead wood.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_fungi
Mycotoxicology is the branch of mycology that focuses on analyzing and studying the toxins produced by fungi, known as mycotoxins.[1] In the food industry it is important to adopt measures that keep mycotoxin levels as low as practicable, especially those that are heat-stable. These chemical compounds are the result of secondary metabolism initiated in response to specific developmental or environmental signals. This includes biological stress from the environment, such as lower nutrients or competition for those available. Under this secondary path the fungus produces a wide array of compounds in order to gain some level of advantage, such as incrementing the efficiency of metabolic processes to gain more energy from less food, or attacking other microorganisms and being able to use their remains as a food source.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycotoxicology
Fungal infection, also known as mycosis, is disease caused by fungi.[5][11] Different types are traditionally divided according to the part of the body affected; superficial, subcutaneous, and systemic.[3][6] Superficial fungal infections include common tinea of the skin, such as tinea of the body, groin, hands, feet and beard, and yeast infections such as pityriasis versicolor.[7] Subcutaneous types include eumycetoma and chromoblastomycosis, which generally affect tissues in and beneath the skin.[1][7] Systemic fungal infections are more serious and include cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, pneumocystis pneumonia, aspergillosis and mucormycosis.[3] Signs and symptoms range widely.[3]There is usually a rash with superficial infection.[2] Fungal infection within the skin or under the skin may present with a lump and skin changes.[3] Pneumonia-like symptoms or meningitis may occur with a deeper or systemic infection.[2]
Fungi are everywhere, but only some cause disease.[11] Fungal infection occurs after spores are either breathed in, come into contact with skin or enter the body through the skin such as via a cut, wound or injection.[3] It is more likely to occur in people with a weak immune system.[12] This includes people with illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, and people taking medicines such as steroids or cancer treatments.[12] Fungi that cause infections in people include yeasts, molds and fungi that are able to exist as both a mold and yeast.[3] The yeast Candida albicans can live in people without producing symptoms, and is able to cause both superficial mild candidiasis in healthy people, such as oral thrush or vaginal yeast infection, and severe systemic candidiasis in those who cannot fight infection themselves.[3]
Diagnosis is generally based on signs and symptoms, microscopy, culture, sometimes requiring a biopsy and the aid of medical imaging.[6] Some superficial fungal infections of the skin can appear similar to other skin conditions such as eczema and lichen planus.[7] Treatment is generally with antifungal medicines, usually in the form of a cream or by mouth or injection, depending on the specific infection and its extent.[13] Some require surgically cutting out infected tissue.[3]
Fungal infections have a world-wide distribution and are common, affecting more than one billion people every year.[9] An estimated 1.7 million deaths from fungal disease were reported in 2020.[10]Several, including sporotrichosis, chromoblastomycosis and mycetoma are neglected.[14]
A wide range of fungal infections occur in other animals, and some can be transmitted from animals to people.[15]
| Mycosis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Mycoses,[1] fungal disease,[2] fungal infection[3] ICD-10CM codes: Mycoses B35-B49 [4] |
 | |
| Micrograph showing a mycosis (aspergillosis). The Aspergillus (which is spaghetti-like) is seen in the center and surrounded by inflammatory cells and necroticdebris. H&E stain. | |
| Specialty | Infectious Diseases[5] |
| Types | Systemic, superficial, subcutaneous[3] |
| Causes | Pathogenic fungus: dermatophytes, yeasts, molds[6][7] |
| Risk factors | Immunodeficiency, cancer treatment, organ transplant,[6] COVID-19,[8] tuberculosis |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms, culture, microscopic examination[6] |
| Treatment | Antifungals[3] |
| Frequency | Common[9] |
| Deaths | 1.7 million (2020)[10] |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungal_infection
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, traditional medicine, food, and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as toxicity or infection.
A biologist specializing in mycology is called a mycologist.
Mycology branches into the field of phytopathology, the study of plant diseases, and the two disciplines remain closely related because the vast majority of plant pathogens are fungi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycology
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