Rhizopus
Encyclopedia
Rhizopus is a genus
of common saprobic fungi on plants and specialized parasites
on animals. They are found on a wide variety of organic substrates, including "mature fruits and vegetables", faeces, jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts and tobacco. Some Rhizopus species are opportunistic agents of human zygomycosis (fungal infection) and can be fatal. Rhizopus infections are also an associated complication of diabetic ketoacidosis
. The widespread genus contains about nine species.
Rhizopus reproduces by vegetative, asexual and sexual methods by spores. The asexual sporangiospores are produced inside a pinhead-like structure, the sporangium
, and are genetically identical to their parent. In Rhizopus, the sporangia are supported by a large apophysate columella
, and the sporangiophores arise among distinctive rhizoids. Dark zygospore
s are produced after two compatible mycelia
fuse during sexual reproduction producing colonies that may be genetically different from their parents.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of common saprobic fungi on plants and specialized parasites
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
on animals. They are found on a wide variety of organic substrates, including "mature fruits and vegetables", faeces, jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts and tobacco. Some Rhizopus species are opportunistic agents of human zygomycosis (fungal infection) and can be fatal. Rhizopus infections are also an associated complication of diabetic ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a metabolic state associated with high concentrations of ketone bodies, formed by the breakdown of fatty acids and the deamination of amino acids. The two common ketones produced in humans are acetoacetic acid and β-hydroxybutyrate....
. The widespread genus contains about nine species.
Rhizopus reproduces by vegetative, asexual and sexual methods by spores. The asexual sporangiospores are produced inside a pinhead-like structure, the sporangium
Sporangium
A sporangium is an enclosure in which spores are formed. It can be composed of a single cell or can be multicellular. All plants, fungi, and many other lineages form sporangia at some point in their life cycle...
, and are genetically identical to their parent. In Rhizopus, the sporangia are supported by a large apophysate columella
Columella
Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella is the most important writer on agriculture of the Roman empire. Little is known of his life. He was probably born in Gades , possibly of Roman parents. After a career in the army , he took up farming...
, and the sporangiophores arise among distinctive rhizoids. Dark zygospore
Zygospore
A zygospore is a diploid reproductive stage in the life cycle of many fungi and protists. Zygospores are created by the nuclear fusion of haploid cells. In fungi, zygospores are termed chlamydospores and are formed after the fusion of hyphae of different mating types...
s are produced after two compatible mycelia
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...
fuse during sexual reproduction producing colonies that may be genetically different from their parents.
- R. arrhizusRhizopus arrhizusRhizopus arrhizus is a fungus of the family Mucoraceae, characterized by sporangiophores that arise from nodes at the point where the rhizoids are formed and by a hemispherical columella...
causes fruit rot on apples - R. artocarpiRhizopus artocarpiRhizopus artocapri is weak parasitic mold or fungus from the genus Rhizopus. It causes black stains and fruit drop in jackfruit by rotting the stem, fruit rot and male flowers. Dithane M-45 [mancozeb] is often used to control the fungus.,...
causes fruit drop on jack fruit - R. nigricansRhizopus nigricansRhizopus nigricans is a fungus commonly known as bread mold and is the most common species of Rhizopus. It is found on old food and in soils and even in children's sandboxes. The genus contains some 50 species and bread mold is sometimes confused with species of Mucor or other species of Rhizopus...
, is a common bread mold - R. oligosporusRhizopus oligosporusRhizopus oligosporus is a fungus of the family Mucoraceae that is a widely used starter culture for the home production of tempeh. The spores produce fluffy, white mycelia, binding the beans together to create an edible “cake” of partly fermented soybeans.Rhizopus oligosporus produces an...
, is used to make tempehTempehTempeh , or tempe , is a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form, similar to a very firm vegetarian burger patty...
, a fermented food derived from soybeans. - R. oryzaeRhizopus oryzaeRhizopus oryzae is a fungus that lives worldwide in dead organic matter. An opportunistic human pathogen, it is one causative agent of zygomycosis . The RA 99-880 strain, which was isolated from a fatal infection, had its genome sequenced by the Broad Institute in 2004–2005. R...
is used in the production of alcoholic beverages in parts of Asia and Africa. - R. stolonifer, Black bread mold causes fruit rot on strawberry, tomato and sweet potatoSweet potatoThe sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
and used in commercial production of fumaric acidFumaric acidFumaric acid or trans-butenedioic acid is the chemical compound with the formula HO2CCH=CHCO2H. This white crystalline compound is one of two isomeric unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, the other being maleic acid. In fumaric acid the carboxylic acid groups are trans and in maleic acid they are cis...
and cortisoneCortisoneCortisone is a steroid hormone. It is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. In chemical structure, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone. It is used to treat a variety of ailments and can be administered intravenously, orally,...
Species
- Rhizopus arrhizusRhizopus arrhizusRhizopus arrhizus is a fungus of the family Mucoraceae, characterized by sporangiophores that arise from nodes at the point where the rhizoids are formed and by a hemispherical columella...
- Rhizopus azygosporus
- Rhizopus circinansRhizopus circinansRhizopus circinans is a plant pathogen.- External links :...
- Rhizopus microsporus
- Rhizopus nigricansRhizopus nigricansRhizopus nigricans is a fungus commonly known as bread mold and is the most common species of Rhizopus. It is found on old food and in soils and even in children's sandboxes. The genus contains some 50 species and bread mold is sometimes confused with species of Mucor or other species of Rhizopus...
- Rhizopus oligosporusRhizopus oligosporusRhizopus oligosporus is a fungus of the family Mucoraceae that is a widely used starter culture for the home production of tempeh. The spores produce fluffy, white mycelia, binding the beans together to create an edible “cake” of partly fermented soybeans.Rhizopus oligosporus produces an...
- Rhizopus oryzaeRhizopus oryzaeRhizopus oryzae is a fungus that lives worldwide in dead organic matter. An opportunistic human pathogen, it is one causative agent of zygomycosis . The RA 99-880 strain, which was isolated from a fatal infection, had its genome sequenced by the Broad Institute in 2004–2005. R...
- Rhizopus schipperae
- Rhizopus sexualis
- Rhizopus stolonifer
External links
- Rhizopus at Zygomycetes.org
- Photos of Rhizopus spp. used for tempeh-making at www.tempeh.idv.tw