In: Biology
a. The processes for producing penicillin and blue cheese both use the Penicillium fungus.
b. The reproductive organs of Amanita muscaria are popular pizza toppings.
c. The fungus Claviceps purpurea is thought to have triggered the infamous Salem witch trials.
d. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a common household bread mold.
e. The oils from lichens are used as a base in perfume production.
f. Chytrids are parasites that devastate entire livestock populations.
Answer: a. The processes for producing penicillin and blue cheese both use the Penicillium fungus: True
Explanation: Penicillin is an antibiotic which is made by the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. And blue cheese, a variety of cheese is made from the fungus Penicillium roqueforti. Both the organisms belong to the genus Penicillium.
Answer: b. The reproductive organs of Amanita muscaria are popular pizza toppings: False.
Explanation: Amanita muscaria are the type of basidiomycetes fungi which have their fruiting bodies above the ground commonly known as mushrooms. It is considered as a poisonous mushroom (toadstool) because of its effect on the nervous system. Hence can not be used as pizza toppings.
Answer:c. The fungus Claviceps purpurea is thought to have triggered the infamous Salem witch trials: True
Explanation: Claviceps purpurea belong to the fungus group known as ergot, it causes ergotism by the alkaloids it produces. It is a plant fungus mostly found on grains like rye. It was thought that the symptoms caused by the ergot poisoning were similar to the one which were observed in Salem witchcraft reports.
Answer: d. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a common household bread mold: False
Explanation: Fungi growing on bread are bread molds, common bread molds are Rhizopus spp, Penicillium spp.,Cladosporium spp. etc. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) are fungi which are unicellular can show thread like appearance but without the pigments, while mold are the type of fungi with hyphae showing different types of pigments.
Answer: e. The oils from lichens are used as a base in perfume production: True
Explanation: Lichens are the symbiotic association between algae and fungi, there are different types of lichens, some of them produce phenolic acids and essential oils which give out fragrances hence they can be used to produce incense sticks, perfumes. Lichen commonly used to make perfume is Evernia prunastri
Answer: f. Chytrids are parasites that devastate entire livestock populations: False
Explanation: Chytrids are the most primitive type of fungi and they are the one with the motile gamates (with flagella), mostly they live in aquatic environments and in moist soil. Some of the species are parasites on insects, plants and amphibians. These fungi majorly affect amphibians leading to decrease in the number of amphibians. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is one such species which causes skin disease in amphibians. Chytrids are parasites that have devastating effect on amphibian population.