Fungi and us
Fungi matter to people in four ways — three of them to our advantage, one of them not.
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| A protein supplement food | Agaricus mushrooms |
| The fermentation of bread and alcohol | Yeast |
| Producing antibiotic drugs | Penicillin from Penicillium |
| Disease in animals and plants | Thrush from Candida; potato blight from Phytopthora |
Activity 13.2
Observing the mould (Mucor) on a slice of bread.
- Add a little water to a slice of bread and leave it about two days.
- A fungal network can be seen to have grown over its surface.
- With a glass rod, put a little of it on a slide, cover it with a cover slip and observe it under the microscope.
Figure to be added
Penicillin changed the world
Penicillin, produced by the fungus Penicillium, was the first antibiotic. Which means what we use to cure bacterial disease is a substance made by another living thing.