BIOL 437/L. Biology of Fungi and Lab (2/1)

Prerequisites: BIOL 315/L; BIOL 380; CHEM 333. Corequisites: BIOL 437L; BIOL 492V. Recommended Preparatory: BIOL 407/L; BIOL 492N. A survey of the diversity of fungi, their phylogeny, genetics, structure, life cycles, habitats, mutualisms, pathogenesis and laboratory identification. Field trips are conducted to collect macroscopic and microscopic fungi as well as mutualistic and non-human pathogenic microscopic fungi. Macroscopic fungi from field trips are identified in the teaching lab using standard manuals while microfungi are stained and characterized microscopically; reference cultures will be used when natural isolates are unavailable. Samples will be grown and observed for culture characteristics, biochemistry and morphology. In the laboratory section, students will perform basic genetics and physiology experiments using yeast and bioluminescent fungi as model organisms. This course may be taken for graduate credit. Lecture 2 hours, lab 3 hours.