Question

What are coenocytic hyphae?

Answer 1

Hint: Hyphae is a tubular-like filament having both cytoplasm and cell wall found in fungi. Coenocyte is a term used for multicellular organisms which are multinucleate, continuous masses of protoplasm covered by one cell wall with no separation.

Complete answer:
Hyphae are a structural component of fungi which they used for anchorage to the soil and other surfaces, and absorbing nutrients. The word Coenocytic comes from the Greek word Koinos meaning “common” and kytos meaning “box” (cell). This type of hyphae results due to the nuclear divisions within a cell without cytokinesis (a division of the cytoplasm).
The hyphae may be septate or aseptate. The coenocytic hyphae are aseptate which means that they are a long cell not divided by any compartments.
The lack of septa is generally seen in fungi like in class Zygomycetes.

Additional Information
-Coenocytic hyphae allows faster transport of nutrients as compared to septate hyphae as there is a continuous cytoplasm present in coenocytic hyphae.
- If there is damage to coenocytic hyphae the whole hyphae die as there is no barrier to stop the cytoplasm from leaking whereas in septate hyphae only a compartment is affected and not the whole hyphae.
-The septate hyphae are divided into compartments. They have pores in between the cells, to allow the flow of nutrients and cytoplasm all over the mycelium.
-Primarysepta is formed during the nuclear division of the cell and separates the nuclei from the parent cell. Adventitious septa aren’t formed during the nuclear division and are formed when there is change in the concentration of cytoplasm.
-Pseudohyphae are formed due to incomplete budding processes where the cells elongate but don't separate. It is mostly found in Yeast.

Note:
- The network of hyphae together makes mycelium and forms the vegetative part of the fungi. For example, Mushroom, truffle.
- Coenocytic hyphae have scattered nuclei, with cell organelles like ribosomes, Golgi apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum.
-Coenocytic hyphae have septa, but they are only present at the branching point thus, prevents the entire tubular mass from being affected if one hypha is damaged.