mold
Sign in to savethumb|Close up of mold on a strawberry thumb|Penicillium digitatum mold growing on a [[clementine]] A mold () or mould () is one of the structures that certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not all fungi form molds. Some fungi form mushrooms or ascomata; others grow as single cells, and are called microfungi (for example, yeasts).
AI overview
Mold is a visible, dust-like fungal structure that certain fungi form to spread spores containing chemical compounds into the environment. It matters because molds are common in nature and can grow on foods and other surfaces, affecting everything from what we eat to our surroundings.
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Article
10 sectionsContents
- Biology
- Common molds
- Food production
- Pharmaceuticals from molds
- Health effects
- Growth in buildings and homes
- Use in art
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Close up of mold on a strawberry thumb|Penicillium digitatum mold growing on a [[clementine]] A mold () or mould () is one of the structures that certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not all fungi form molds. Some fungi form mushrooms or ascomata; others grow as single cells, and are called microfungi (for example, yeasts).
A large and taxonomically diverse number of fungal species form molds. The growth of hyphae results in discoloration and a fuzzy appearance, especially on food. The network of these tubular branching hyphae, called a mycelium, is considered a single organism. The hyphae are generally transparent, so the mycelium appears like very fine, fluffy white threads over the surface. Cross-walls (septa) may delimit connected compartments along the hyphae, each containing one or multiple, genetically identical nuclei. The dusty texture of many molds is caused by profuse production of asexual spores (conidia) formed by differentiation at the ends of hyphae. The mode of formation and shape of these spores is traditionally used to classify molds. Many of these spores are colored, making the fungus much more obvious to the human eye at this stage in its life-cycle.