More about fungi
Glossary
Microbial terminology explained
-
A
-
Aerobic respiration
Information and advice on all aspects of microbiology teaching - both theory and practice is just a click away.
-
Alga (algae, plural)
A single-celled or multicellular eukaryotic, photosynthetic organism.
-
Amino acid
The basic building block of a protein.
-
Antibiotic
A chemical that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria and is used to treat bacterial infections.
-
Antibody
A Y-shaped protein made by certain white blood cells which is produced by the body’s immune system in response to a foreign substance (antigen). The antibody destroys the antigen.
-
Antigen
A foreign substance such as a pathogen that stimulates the body’s immune system to produce antibodies.
-
Archaean (archaea, plural)
A prokaryotic, single celled organism.
-
-
B
-
Bacterium (bacteria, plural)
A prokaryotic, single celled organism.
-
Binary fission
A type of asexual reproduction in which the cell divides into two separate daughter cells each with identical DNA.
-
Biogas
A gas that is produced from the anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition of organic matter.
-
Bioremediation
The use of microbes to break down toxic or unwanted substances.
-
Budding
A type of asexual reproduction in which an outgrowth forms from the parent cell. It then usually pinches off to form a separate independent cell.
-
-
C
-
Capsid
The protein coat surrounding a virus.
-
Cell
The basic unit of all living things.
-
Chlorophyll
A green photosynthetic pigment usually found in organelles called chloroplasts.
-
Chromosome
A long continuous pieces of DNA that carries genetic information.
-
Cilium (cilia, plural)
A tiny hair-like structure on the surface of some micro-organisms or cells which beats rhythmically to either propel trapped material out of the body, for example in the lungs, or make a free-living microbe move.
-
-
D
-
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid: the store of genetic information inside living cells and many viruses.
-
Decomposer
The name given to some fungi and soil bacteria that break down dead animals and plants and their waste products into simpler substances called nutrients.
-
-
E
-
Enzyme
A protein that facilitates a biochemical reaction by speeding up the rate at which it takes place within cells.
-
Eukaryote
A single-celled or multicellular organism which has a true membrane-bound nucleus and membrane bound organelles.
-
Extremophile
A microbe that positively thrives in environments that would kill other organisms.
-
-
F
-
Fermentation
The conversion of organic compounds such as carbohydrate into simpler substances by microbes, usually under anaerobic conditions (with no oxygen present). Energy is produced.
-
Flagellum (flagella, plural)
A long thin appendage present on the surface of some cells such as bacteria and protoctista which enables them to move.
-
Food poisoning
Any illness caused by eating food contaminated by pathogenic microbes.
-
Food spoilage
Changes in appearance, flavour, odour, and other qualities of the food due to microbial growth which causes it to deteriorate and spoil by decay.
-
Fungus (fungi, plural)
A eukaryotic, non-photosynthetic, spore-forming organism. They range from single celled organisms to very complex multicellular organisms.
-
-
G
-
Gene
Basic unit of inheritance located on a chromosome. A gene is a piece of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that contains the instructions for the production of a specific protein.
-
Generation time
The time taken for a population of micro-organisms to double in number.
-
Global warming
A rise in the temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere due to the increased emission of greenhouse gases which traps more heat in the atmosphere, causing the planet to warm up.
-
-
H
-
Host cell
A cell that is infected by a virus or another type of micro-organism.
-
Hypha (hyphae, plural)
A very fine thread that is the basic structure of filamentous fungi.
-
-
I
-
Inflammation
A reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection. It is a beneficial process as it destroys or contains the pathogen within a small area enabling the healing process to begin.
-
-
L
-
Lymphatic system
Lymph nodes linked by a network of small tubes spread throughout the body that transport the lymph fluid.
-
Lysis
The physical rupture of a cell.
-
-
M
-
Memory cell
A cell which is produced as part of a normal immune response. These cells remember a specific antigen and are responsible for the rapid immune response, production of antibodies, on exposure to subsequent infections by that particular antigen.
-
Methanogen
Micro-organism that produces methane.
-
Micro-organism (microbe)
A small living thing. The group includes bacteria, archaea, protozoa, algae, fungi and viruses.
-
Mould
A multicellular filamentous fungus.
-
Mycelium
A branched network of fungal hyphae.
-
-
N
-
Normal body flora
Microbes that have adapted to living on the body, are usually present and rarely cause home.
-
Nucleus
The nucleus is the control centre of the cell containing chromosomes.
-
-
O
-
Organelle
A membrane enclosed structure, in cells, that has a specialised function.
-
-
P
-
Pathogen
An organism that causes disease.
-
Phagocyte
A white blood cell that can surround engulf (by phagocytosis) and destroy invading micro-organisms including viruses and bacteria. There are two separate groups - macrophages and neutrophils.
-
Photosynthesis
A process that occurs in plants, algae and some bacteria called the cyanobacteria that traps the sun’s light energy and uses it to fix carbon dioxide into organic compounds.
-
Primary producer
Green plants, algae and some bacteria called the cyanobacteria which produce their own food by a process called photosynthesis. They are found at the beginning of the food chain.
-
Prokaryote
An organism that has a simple cell structure without a membrane bound nucleus or organelles.
-
Protein
A folded long – chain molecule consisting of amino acids. Each protein has a special function. Proteins are required for the structure, function, and regulation of an organism’s cell/cells, tissues, and organs.
-
Protozoan (protozoa, plural)
A eukaryotic, single celled organism that usually lacks chlorophyll.
-
Pseudopodium (pseudopodium, plural)
A temporary extension of the cytoplasm of an amoeboid cell. It is used in both motility and feeding.
-
-
R
-
Recycling
A cyclical process by which essential elements are released into the environment where they are then reused.
-
-
S
-
Sporangium (sporagia plural)
A sac containing spores that develops from the fruiting body of a fungus.
-
Spore
A general term for a dormant stage in an orgainisms life cycle. Spores enable survival of adverse conditions, distribution, and reproduction. There are many types which may be produced both asexually and sexually.
-
-
T
-
Toxin
Any substance that is poisonous to other organisms.
-
-
V
-
Vaccine
A special type of medicine that is given to both people and animals to artificially increase immunity to a particular disease and to prevent an infectious disease from developing.
-
Viral envelope
A spikey coat that covers the virus’s protein coat or capsid.
-
Virus
An infectious particle that relies on the cellular machinery of the host cell to grow and replicate.
-
-
Y
-
Yeast
A single-celled fungus.
-
Back to top
Back to top