The voice in the Night” , by William Hope Hodgson , adapted in Japanese film “matango “, one of the best known horror science fiction film of early twentieth century , had wild weird fungus ( pleural Fungi) ~ a mushroom taking the shapes of human beings and animals as the main theme . However , other than Mushroom and now “Black Fungus” , not much is appreciated by common man about the world of “Fungus” which was considered very much a plant until DNA technology recently gave it a separate status of it’s own , now a kingdom with 1,44000 known species , amongst the most widely distributed organisms on planet Earth which includes Yeasts ,Rusts ,Mildews, molds and Mushrooms. Many of these are free living in soil or water; others form parasitic or symbiotic relationship with plants or animals.
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms; cells with clearly defined nucleus and membrane bound organelles, which lack chlorophyll, a food synthesising pigment present in plants and differ considerably in components of cell wall. They are separated from animals by their vegetative - non- sexual mode of growth and ways of nutrient uptake. Fungi grow from the tips of their unique filaments (hyphae) that make up the bodies of the organism (mycelia) and they digest organic matters externally before absorbing it.
The study of Fungi is known as Mycology ~ a broad spectrum of the Greek word for Mushroom, mykes. Fungi other than mushrooms are collectively called Molds, widely represented by bread mold.
Human civilisation has been indirectly aware of the fungi since first loaf of leavened breads was baked and grapes turned into wine. Ravages in the field of agriculture by the fungi was not less known. However , for a long time they believed it to be the wrath of God , “Robigus “the Rust God and “Robigalia “ the feast and festival to appease Him !!
In modern times value of fungi was appreciated in breaking down organic matters in the soil along with bacteria and releasing indispensable carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus into the soil and atmosphere.
Other than making bread, cheese and wine, they were used as food, containing high quality mycoprotein and famously part of epicurean delicacies.
For a long time in modern biology they provided insight into the functioning of cells and genes. Saccharomyces cervisiae , the ordinary baker’s yeast , provided the insight into basic metabolism of cells which brought NOBEL PRIZES in bunch. Neurospora , the red bread mold , established the path breaking ‘one gene one enzyme ‘ theory contributing immensely in the field of genetics of plants and animals alike.