Question

Stored food material of fungi is/are
(a) Cellulose
(b) Starch
(c) Glycogen and starch
(d) Glycogen and oil

Answer 1

Hint: The material is formed from glucose by the response of insulin and stored in the liver muscles as an energy source. The other material is a long chain of poly- unsaturated or saturated fatty acids rich in high energy sources.

Complete step by step answer:
Fungi along with bacteria are the major decomposers of organic material in the soil. Fungi degrade complex organic matter present in their food into simple organic complexes and inorganic compounds which helps in recycling carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements for reuse by other organisms as well as plants. As organic matter is a hydrocarbon complex used by fungi as food material in glycogen and oil form.
- Fungi is a non- photosynthetic, eukaryotic, non- motile organism and have absorptive heterotrophs mode of nutrition where they digest their food first and then absorb it into their bodies.
- All fungi are chemoheterotrophs requiring organic compounds for energy and carbon.
- The nutritional needs of a fungus are facilitated by the enzyme cellulase or chitinase.
- The fungus is often capable of metabolizing complex carbohydrates such as lignin that most bacteria cannot use for nutrients.
- The glycogen is highly branched gluten which can be broken down to yield glucose that is composed of chains of D-glucopyranose residues in alpha 1-4 glycosidic linkage joined together by alpha 1-6 glycosidic linkages.
So, the correct answer is, ‘(d) Glycogen and oil.’

Note:
- The fungal mass of hyphae, known as the mycelium penetrates the bread and produces the fruiting bodies on top of their stalks.
- Fungi are more resistant to osmotic pressure than bacteria thus, most of them can grow in relatively high sugar or salt concentration.