Fungi are limited in the types of disease they cause. Fungal diseases are more of a major problem in plants than animals. Fungi can destroy leaves of plants and prevent photosynthesis ultimately leading to the death of the plant.Many fungi are saprophytes. They feed on dead organisms. They feed by extracellular digestion. They secrete digestive enzymes onto their food and absorb the soluble products of digestion.They reproduce by forming millions of tiny spores which are airborne and can spread rapidly over huge distances, devastating crops and causing starvation in many parts of the world.
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Specification: OCR Biology A (H020), AS-level, 4.1.1 Communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system. Topic: Communicable Diseases.
Key terms in this lesson
- organelle
- A membrane-bound structure within a cell with a specific structure suited to a specific function.
- cytoskeleton
- A network of protein fibres in the cytoplasm that gives cells shape, allows movement and anchors organelles.
- plasmid
- A small, circular loop of DNA, separate from the main chromosome, found in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells.
- prokaryotic cell
- A cell with no nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, found in bacteria.
- eukaryotic cell
- A cell with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, found in animals, plants, fungi and protoctists.
More in Communicable Diseases
- Types of Pathogens
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Protoctists
- Modes of Action
- Plant Diseases
- Tuberculosis
- Bacterial Meningitis
All 40 lessons in Communicable Diseases · All OCR AS-level Biology topics