Marine Fungal Diversity and Bioprospecting 2.2 Diversity of Fungi 15
Part A | 2.2
era. The Deuteromycotina is not accepted as a formal
taxonomic category. About 205 new genera have been
described from India. Of these, approximately 27 000
species are reported to colonize diversified habitats. The
major groups (phyla) of true fungi are Ascomycota,
Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Zygomycota. Recently, studies have provided support for the recognition
of additional phyla, such as Glomeromycota, a group
of fungi once placed in Zygomycota, which form an
association with the roots of most plants. A group of
parasitic organisms called Microsporidia that live inside the cells of animals are also now considered to
belong in the fungal kingdom.
A comprehensive classification of the kingdom
Fungi was published as the result of collaboration
among many fungal taxonomists [2.19]. This classification is used in the Dictionary of the Fungi [2.1] and
other fungal references and databases. However, the
classification system will undergo additional changes
as scientists use new methods to study fungi. For
example, Cryptomycota, a potentially new phylum
of organisms within the fungi kingdom has been
described. Recent findings suggest that a total of
625 fungi exist on a global scale (278 Ascomycetes,
277 anamorphic taxa, 30 Basidiomycetes, and 14
Oomycetes) and about 150 species of mangrove fungi
have been reported from the mangroves of the Indian
subcontinent.
Zygomycotina
Zygomycotina undergo asexual reproduction and are
ubiquitous in soil and dung. Most of them are saprophytes and very few are parasitic on plants and animals.
Trichomycetous fungi colonize the guts of arthropods.
More than 1000 fungal species belonging to Zygomycotina have been reported from India, which are of high
industrial value. For example, Saksenea vasiformis,
a unique, indigenous fungus, has received special attention in medical mycology.
Ascomycotina
It is estimated that the Ascomycetes form approximately
40–45% of total fungi. Ascomycetous fungi include
a number of fungi which have been show variations
in their morphological diagnostic features (anamorphes
and teleomorphs), an ascus-like organizational nature
in ascospores, conidiophores and other characters. Ascomycotina forms the largest subdivision with 2700
genera and 28 500 species. Yeasts are of significant importance in industrial fermentations, such as brewing
and baking. They are vital in decomposition processes
to degrade cellulose and other plant polymers. On other
hand, they can parasitize plants and can cause serious
damage to the crop which leads to economic loss.
Basidiomycotina
Fleshy fungi, which include toadstools, bracket fungi,
fairy clubs, puff balls, stinkhorns, earthstars, bird’s nest
fungi, and jelly fungi, fall into the category of Basidiomycotina. Toadstools exist as a symbiont, as well as
parasites, where most of them are saprophytic in nature. They can be poisonous, however, the majority is
harmless and some of them have higher nutritive values. More than 2000 species of edible mushrooms are
reported from different parts of the world.
Mushrooms and Other Macrofungi
Among fungi, especially Basidiomycetes has been exploited more owing to its pharmacological properties
such as antibiotic, antiviral, phytotoxic and cytostatic
activities. Out of the 41 000 species of mushrooms,
850 species are recorded from India. Isolation of antitumor and immunomodulatory compounds of unusual
polysaccharides of these macrofungi are being targeted
nowadays.
Rust and Smut Fungi
The rust and smut are largest group of plant parasitic fungi in Basidiomycotina, which could cause
drastic damage to economically important crop plants
like wheat, corn, cereals, legumes, beans, and grasses.
More than 160 genera of rusts have been recorded, out
of which 46 are monotypic comprising 7000 species.
The maximum number of species is seen in temperate and near temperate regions. Rust fungi occur
on dicots rather than monocot plants. They parasitize
plants that range from ferns to orchids and mints to
composites. Several smuts can also cause considerable economic loss to cultivated plants, mainly on
angiospermic monocots. Nearly 1450 smut species are
distributed in 77 genera and about 3500 synonyms.
Teliospore forming smuts (Ustilaginomycetes) are parasites on herbaceous, non-woody plants, while those
lacking teliospores (Microstromatales, Exobasidiales)
mostly parasitize woody (Microstromatales, Exobasidiales) plants.
Deuteromycotina
Deuteromycetes constitute an artificial group, which
represents the asexual phases of Ascomycotina and Basidiomycotina. The multiplication occurs through the
production of mitotic spores or conidia from special-
Part A | 2.2
era. The Deuteromycotina is not accepted as a formal
taxonomic category. About 205 new genera have been
described from India. Of these, approximately 27 000
species are reported to colonize diversified habitats. The
major groups (phyla) of true fungi are Ascomycota,
Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, and Zygomycota. Recently, studies have provided support for the recognition
of additional phyla, such as Glomeromycota, a group
of fungi once placed in Zygomycota, which form an
association with the roots of most plants. A group of
parasitic organisms called Microsporidia that live inside the cells of animals are also now considered to
belong in the fungal kingdom.
A comprehensive classification of the kingdom
Fungi was published as the result of collaboration
among many fungal taxonomists [2.19]. This classification is used in the Dictionary of the Fungi [2.1] and
other fungal references and databases. However, the
classification system will undergo additional changes
as scientists use new methods to study fungi. For
example, Cryptomycota, a potentially new phylum
of organisms within the fungi kingdom has been
described. Recent findings suggest that a total of
625 fungi exist on a global scale (278 Ascomycetes,
277 anamorphic taxa, 30 Basidiomycetes, and 14
Oomycetes) and about 150 species of mangrove fungi
have been reported from the mangroves of the Indian
subcontinent.
Zygomycotina
Zygomycotina undergo asexual reproduction and are
ubiquitous in soil and dung. Most of them are saprophytes and very few are parasitic on plants and animals.
Trichomycetous fungi colonize the guts of arthropods.
More than 1000 fungal species belonging to Zygomycotina have been reported from India, which are of high
industrial value. For example, Saksenea vasiformis,
a unique, indigenous fungus, has received special attention in medical mycology.
Ascomycotina
It is estimated that the Ascomycetes form approximately
40–45% of total fungi. Ascomycetous fungi include
a number of fungi which have been show variations
in their morphological diagnostic features (anamorphes
and teleomorphs), an ascus-like organizational nature
in ascospores, conidiophores and other characters. Ascomycotina forms the largest subdivision with 2700
genera and 28 500 species. Yeasts are of significant importance in industrial fermentations, such as brewing
and baking. They are vital in decomposition processes
to degrade cellulose and other plant polymers. On other
hand, they can parasitize plants and can cause serious
damage to the crop which leads to economic loss.
Basidiomycotina
Fleshy fungi, which include toadstools, bracket fungi,
fairy clubs, puff balls, stinkhorns, earthstars, bird’s nest
fungi, and jelly fungi, fall into the category of Basidiomycotina. Toadstools exist as a symbiont, as well as
parasites, where most of them are saprophytic in nature. They can be poisonous, however, the majority is
harmless and some of them have higher nutritive values. More than 2000 species of edible mushrooms are
reported from different parts of the world.
Mushrooms and Other Macrofungi
Among fungi, especially Basidiomycetes has been exploited more owing to its pharmacological properties
such as antibiotic, antiviral, phytotoxic and cytostatic
activities. Out of the 41 000 species of mushrooms,
850 species are recorded from India. Isolation of antitumor and immunomodulatory compounds of unusual
polysaccharides of these macrofungi are being targeted
nowadays.
Rust and Smut Fungi
The rust and smut are largest group of plant parasitic fungi in Basidiomycotina, which could cause
drastic damage to economically important crop plants
like wheat, corn, cereals, legumes, beans, and grasses.
More than 160 genera of rusts have been recorded, out
of which 46 are monotypic comprising 7000 species.
The maximum number of species is seen in temperate and near temperate regions. Rust fungi occur
on dicots rather than monocot plants. They parasitize
plants that range from ferns to orchids and mints to
composites. Several smuts can also cause considerable economic loss to cultivated plants, mainly on
angiospermic monocots. Nearly 1450 smut species are
distributed in 77 genera and about 3500 synonyms.
Teliospore forming smuts (Ustilaginomycetes) are parasites on herbaceous, non-woody plants, while those
lacking teliospores (Microstromatales, Exobasidiales)
mostly parasitize woody (Microstromatales, Exobasidiales) plants.
Deuteromycotina
Deuteromycetes constitute an artificial group, which
represents the asexual phases of Ascomycotina and Basidiomycotina. The multiplication occurs through the
production of mitotic spores or conidia from special-