GRE Subject Test: Biology : Understanding Fungal Structures
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Understanding Fungal Structures
Which of the following compounds is incorporated into the fungal cell wall?
Chitin
Cellulose
Phospholipids
Peptidoglycan
Chitin
Fungi, bacteria, and plants all use cell walls to protect cells and maintain cell structure. The composition of the cell wall varies between kingdoms. Fungi use chitin as the primary component of cell wall structure. Plants use cellulose and bacteria use peptidoglycan.
All cells use phospholipids to construct the cell membrane, which is located interior to the cell wall.
Example Question #2 : Understanding Fungal Structures
What characteristic do both all plants and fungi have in common?
Both use photosynthesis for energy production
Both consist of eukaryotic cells
Both use chitin primarily in their cell walls
They have nothing in common
Both use spores to propagate
Both consist of eukaryotic cells
Both plants and fungi consist of eukaryotic cells. Their cells contain membrane-enclosed nuclei and organelles which is a defining characteristic of eukaryotic cells.
Fungi do not photosynthesize. While seedless plants and fungi use spores, this trait is not common to all plants. Plant cell walls are composed of collagen, while fungi use chitin.
Example Question #1 : Fungi
An antifungal cream advertises to chemically attack the fungal cells without harming the skin. The antifungal chemical most likely acts on which of the following?
There is not enough information provided
The nucleus
Mitochondria
Chitin
Eukaryotic membranes
Chitin
The antifungal compound is likely specific to chitin, as it is a common material of many fungi cell wall structures. Chitin is resistant to breakdown, and is actually found in insect exoskeletons. The incorrect answers are found in skin cells as well as fungal cells, and would harm the skin if the chemical attacked these structures.
Example Question #3 : Fungi
Fungal hyphae form a mesh of tissue that infiltrates food sources and absorbs nutrients. This tissue structure is called __________.
Zygospores
Mycelium
Fungal roots
Gametangia
None of these
Mycelium
Congregation of hyphae form mycelium, the tissue that allows fungi to absorb nutrients from surrounding food sources. Often, the majority of mycelium mass is not visible to the observer. "Fungal roots" is a misleading answer, even though mycelium looks similar to root structures of plants. Gametangia is where gametes are produced in the fungus.
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