Mucoromycotina

Some tiny molds grow on things like bread. These molds are part of a big group. They can live in many ways.

Some molds help plants grow in the dirt. They share food with the plant roots. This helps plants stay strong.

Other molds break down old things. They turn old matter into food for the soil. This helps the earth.

Some molds can make plants sick. They can cause rot on wheat or strawberries. This can kill the plant.

Some molds even live under the ground. Small animals eat them for food. They are very helpful to nature.

Mucoromycotina is a large group of fungi. It has 325 different species. These fungi live in many ways. Some are saprotrophic, which means they break down dead things. They turn starches and proteins into food for the soil.

Other species are mycorrhizal. This word means "fungus-root." These fungi live near plant roots. They share food and nutrients with the plants. This helps plants grow in poor soil, like sand dunes. Some fungi even go inside plant cells. They make tiny parts that look like small trees. We call these arbuscules.

Some fungi are parasitic. This means they live on other living things. They can cause crown rot in plants. This rot happens near the soil. It can kill crops like wheat or strawberries.

Scientists are still learning about this group. It is hard to grow these fungi in a lab. Because of this, we do not know their exact place in the tree of life. Some species in the order Mucorales are called pin molds. They make tiny structures to hold their spores.

Mucoromycotina is a large group of fungi that plays many roles in nature. It is a subphylum that contains 61 different genera and 325 species. These fungi include many common molds, such as Mucor and Rhizopus. Some species are saprotrophic, which means they live by breaking down dead organic matter. Others are mycorrhizal, which means they form a helpful partnership with plant roots. A few species are parasitic, meaning they live on other organisms in ways that can be harmful.

These fungi work in several different ways to survive. Saprotrophs break down complex things like proteins, lipids, and starches into smaller parts. They often need extra water, oxygen, and low temperatures to do this work. Mycorrhizal fungi help plants by gathering nutrients and sharing them with the roots. Some of these fungi, called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, even grow inside plant cells. They create tiny structures called arbuscules that look like little trees.

Scientists have spent a long time trying to figure out where these fungi belong. In the past, they were all part of a group called Zygomycota. However, a genetic study in 2016 changed how we see them. This study showed that the group needed to be split into several new parts. One of those new groups is Mucoromycotina. Researchers still find it hard to study them because it is difficult to grow them in a lab.

There are three main orders within this group. The first is Endogonales, which has 40 species and produces underground structures. These structures have a bad smell that attracts small mammals. The second is Mucorales, which includes about 300 species often called pin molds. These molds grow tiny stalks called sporangiophores to hold their spores. The third order is Mortierellales, which includes species that help break down organic matter.

These fungi can have a big impact on the world around us. Some species in the Mucorales order cause a disease called crown rot. This rot happens near the soil line and can kill crops like wheat, barley, and strawberries. In sand dunes, the genus Endogone helps stabilize the soil and helps plants grow. Some scientists are even studying Mortierella species from Antarctica. They want to see if these fungi can be used to stop insects like houseflies.

Mucoromycotina is a diverse subphylum of fungi that plays many vital roles in our world. It currently contains 61 genera and 325 different species. This group includes many common molds, such as the well-known bread molds Mucor and Rhizopus. Scientists are still studying exactly where this group fits in the tree of life. Currently, its exact placement in the fungal kingdom is considered unknown. It is categorized as incertae sedis, which means its position is uncertain. This uncertainty exists because many species are difficult to collect and grow in laboratory cultures. Without many successful lab samples, researchers cannot always perform the genomic testing needed for perfect accuracy.

These fungi survive using three main biological lifestyles: saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, or parasitic. Saprotrophs are decomposers that break down organic matter into simpler components. They turn proteins into amino acids, lipids into fatty acids and glycerol, and starches into disaccharides. These species generally require oxygen, excess water, low temperatures, and a pH level below 7. Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships, which are helpful partnerships, with plant roots. In these relationships, the fungi help gather nutrients while the plant provides materials the fungi cannot make. Parasitic species form harmful relationships with other organisms. In the order Mucorales, these parasites can cause infections in crops or animals with compromised immune systems.

There are three distinct orders within the Mucoromycotina subphylum. The first is Endogonales, which includes 40 species across 7 genera and 2 families. These fungi produce subterranean sporocarps, or underground fruiting bodies. These structures produce a fetid odor to attract small mammals that ingest them. The second order is Mucorales, often called pin molds. This large order contains 13 families, 56 genera, and approximately 300 species. They produce sporangia, which are spore-containing structures, held up on stalks called sporangiophores. The third order is Mortierellales, which includes species like those in the genus Mortierella. These fungi play roles in the decomposition of organic matter and can be among the first to colonize new roots.

The history of how we classify these fungi has changed significantly due to genetic science. Originally, these fungi were all placed within the phylum Zygomycota based on physical characteristics. However, these older classifications lacked strong genetic support. A major genetic study in 2016 changed everything by splitting the old Zygomycota into several groups. These new groups include Zoopagomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Kickxellomycotina, and Mucoromycotina. Recent research has also seen species like Rhizophagus irregularis being moved into Mucoromycotina. This shows that as our technology improves, our understanding of fungal families continues to evolve.

Mucoromycotina species have significant impacts on agriculture and the environment. In the order Mucorales, some species cause a disease known as crown rot. This disease causes tissue to rot near the soil line in cereal plants like wheat and barley. It also affects low-growing plants such as strawberries. Experiments from 2015 showed that crop losses can reach 0.01 t/ha for every unit increase in the crown rot index. In different environments, the genus Endogone helps stabilize sand dunes. These fungi provide assistance to plants in nutrient-poor soils and prevent soil erosion through their mycelium. Some species also serve as food for various small rodent species.

There are even surprising discoveries regarding the potential uses of these fungi. Scientists have studied the insecticidal properties of the genus Mortierella. They specifically examined species isolated from Antarctica to find unique adaptations. Their research showed that these fungi could act against the larvae of the housefly and the waxmoth. Additionally, the relationship between fungi and plants may be incredibly ancient. A 2015 paper suggests that a Mucoromycotina species may have formed symbiotic relationships with liverworts during the Paleozoic era. This could represent one of the very first plant-fungi partnerships in Earth's history.

The study of Mucoromycotina connects to many broader scientific fields. It touches on ecology through the study of nutrient cycling and soil stability. It relates to medicine through the study of mycosis, or fungal infections, in immunocompromised individuals. It also connects to evolutionary biology as researchers try to map the ancient history of life. The difficulty in culturing these specimens remains a major challenge for mycologists today. Solving these mysteries requires more successful field collections and advanced genomic testing. As we learn more, we see how these tiny organisms support the massive systems of life on Earth.