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monosaccharides (glucose, fructose and mannose), are among the 10) When the nutritional conditions are precarious, many fungi most utilised sugars. This means that fungi, during their life react with hyphal fusion (among nearby fungi) which allows them cycle, depend on other living beings which must be exploited in to explore the available material more easily, using more different degrees for their feeding. This occurs both in a complete physiological processes. This property, which saprophytic way (that is, by feeding on organic waste) and ina substitutes co-operation for competition, makes them distinct parasitic way (that is, by attacking the tissue of the host directly). from any other micro-organism, and for this reason Buller calls 2) Fungi show a great variety of reproductive manifestations them social organisms. (sexual, asexual, gemmation; these manifestations can often be 11) When a cell gets old or becomes damaged (e.g., by a toxic observed simultaneously in the same mycete), combined with a substance or by a pharmaceutical), many fungi whose intercellular great morphostructural variety of organs. All of this is directed septums are provided with a pore react by implementing a defence toward the end of spore formation, to which the continuity and process called protoplasmic flux, through which they transfer the propagation of the species is entrusted. nucleus and cytoplasm of the damaged cell into a healthy one, 3) In mycology, it is often possible to observe a particular thus conserving unaltered all their biological potential. phenomenon called heterokaryon, characterised by the 12) The phenomena regulating the development of hyphal coexistence of normal and mutant nuclei in ramification are unknown to date.’ They cells that have undergone a hyphal fusion. consist of either a rhythmic development or Nowadays, phytopathologists are quite in the appearance of sectors which, though worried about the creation of individuals that they originate from the hyphal system, are are genetically quite different even from the self-regulating," that is, independent of the parents. This difference has taken place by regulating action and behaviour of the rest of Fungi can well have means of those reproductive cycles, which the colony. are called parasexual. The indiscriminate their own kingdom : 13) Fungi are capable of implementing an use of phytopharmaceuticals has in fact often b f th infinite number of modifications to their own determined mutations of the nuclei of many ecause of the metabolism in order to overcome the defence parasitic fungi with the consequent creation absence of mechanism of whe post These modifications of heterokaryon—and this is sometimes . are implemented through plasmatic an particularly virulent in its pathogenicity.* photosynthetic biochemical actions as well as by a 4) In the parasitic dimension, fungi can pigmentation, volumetric increase (hypertrophy) and develop from the hyphas more or less beak- 1: numerical hyperplasy of the cells that have shaped, specialised structures that the ability to be been attacked." sei enfin" MMM monocellular and MI 14 Fue w assesses so abundant as to include always, at multicellular food supplies and other fungi, but even every cycle, tens, hundreds and even thousands of millions of elements that can be dispersed at a remarkable distance from the point of origin® (a small movement is sufficient, for example, to implement immediate diffusion). 6) Spores have an immense resistance to external aggression, for they are capable of staying dormant in adverse conditions for many years while preserving unaltered their protozoa, amoebas and nematodes. Fungi hunt nematodes, for example, with peculiar hyphal modifications that constitute real mycelial criss- s, viscose or ring traps that immobilise the worms. and, finally, their possession of a distinct nucleus. , the aggressive power so great as to allow it— with only a cellular ring made up of three unit—to tighten its grip, capture and kill its prey within a short time, notwithstanding the desperate regenerative potentialities. struggling of the prey. 7) The development coefficient of the hyphal apexes after the germination is extremely fast (100 microns per minute under ideal From the short notations above, it therefore seems fair to conditions) with ramification capacity, thus with the appearance dedicate greater attention to the world of fungi, especially of a new apex region that in some cases is in the neighbourhood considering the fact that biologists and microbiologists constantly of 40-60 seconds.® highlight large deficiencies and voids in all their descriptions and 8) The shape of the fungus is never defined, for it is imposed interpretations of fungi's shapes, physiologies and reproductions. by the environment in which the fungus develops. It is possible to So the fungus, which is the most powerful and the most observe, for example, the same mycelium in the simple isolated organised micro-organism known, seems to be an extremely hyphas status in a liquid environment or in the form of aggregates logical candidate as a cause of neoplastic proliferation. that are increasingly solid and compact, up to the formation of Imperfect fungi (so called because of the lack of knowledge and pseudoparenchymas and of filaments and mycelial strings.’ understanding of their biological processes) deserve particular 9) By the same token, it is possible to observe in different attention, since their essential prerogative sits in their fungi the same shape whenever they must adapt to the same fermentative capacity. environment (this is called dimorphism). The partial or total The greatest disease of mankind may therefore hide within a substitution of nourishing substances induces frequent mutations small cluster of pathogenic fungi, and may after all be located in fungi, and this is further proof of their high adaptability to any with just some simple deductions able to close the circle and substrata. provide the solution. Fungi can well have their own kingdom because of the absence of photosynthetic pigmentation, the ability to be monocellular and multicellular and, finally, their possession of a distinct nucleus. From the short notations above, it therefore seems fair to dedicate greater attention to the world of fungi, especially considering the fact that biologists and microbiologists constantly highlight large deficiencies and voids in all their descriptions and interpretations of fungi's shapes, physiologies and reproductions. So the fungus, which is the most powerful and the most organised micro-organism known, seems to be an extremely logical candidate as a cause of neoplastic proliferation. Imperfect fungi (so called because of the lack of knowledge and understanding of their biological processes) deserve particular attention, since their essential prerogative sits in their fermentative capacity. The greatest disease of mankind may therefore hide within a small cluster of pathogenic fungi, and may after all be located with just some simple deductions able to close the circle and provide the solution. NEXUS 29 struggling of the prey. AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2007 www.nexusmagazine.com