Asked by April Doucet on May 01, 2024
Verified
At one time, biologists thought that fungi were merely forms of plants that had lost their chlorophyll and evolved saprotrophy to obtain food. Which of the following is a reason why fungi are no longer classified with the plants?
A) Fungal cell walls contain chitin rather than cellulose.
B) Fungi digest their food internally.
C) All fungi have flagella at some stage in their life cycle and plants do not.
D) Plants are multicellular and fungi are unicellular.
E) Plants store glycogen, while fungi store starch.
Fungal Cell Walls
Rigid outer layers found in fungal cells, composed primarily of chitin, which provide structure and protection.
Chitin
A long-chain polymer of N-acetylglucosamine, a derivative of glucose, which forms a major component in the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi.
Saprotrophy
The process or mode of nutrition that involves organisms feeding on decaying organic matter, breaking it down into simpler substances.
- Distinguish fungi based on their distinctive characteristics from other eukaryotic kingdoms.
Verified Answer
JC
jessica cisnerosMay 04, 2024
Final Answer :
A
Explanation :
Fungal cell walls contain chitin rather than cellulose, which is the main component of plant cell walls. This is a key difference between fungi and plants and is one reason why fungi are now classified in their own kingdom (Fungi) rather than as a subgroup of plants.
Learning Objectives
- Distinguish fungi based on their distinctive characteristics from other eukaryotic kingdoms.