What is the difference between ascospores and conidia?

Question

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

1 ) Ascospores = These are produced in side the  Asci ( Singular = Ascus ) by the fungi belonging to Ascomycetae group .

An ascospore is a spore contained in an ascus or that was produced inside an ascus. This kind of spore is specific to fungi classified as ascomycetes (Ascomycota).

Typically, a single ascus will contain eight ascospores.

The eight spores are produced by a combination of a meiosis division followed by a mitotic division.

The meiosis division turns the original diploid zygote nucleus into four haploid ones.

That is, the single original cell from which the whole process begins contains two complete sets of chromosomes.

In preparation for meiosis, all the DNA of both sets is duplicated, to make a total of four sets.

The nucleus that contains the four sets divides in two stages, separating into four new nuclei - each of which has one complete set of chromosomes.

Following this process, each of the four new nuclei duplicates its DNA and undergoes a division by mitosis.

As a result, the ascus will contain four pairs of spores.

Ascospore formation is the End product of SEXUAL REPRODUCTION  in Ascomycota fungi ......... ( 1 )

They are WITHIN A SAC ( Ascus ) and eight in number .....(2)

Click the links below for images / info ==

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/won...

http://www.plant.uga.edu/mycology-herbar...

2 ) Conidia ==

Conidia, sometimes termed conidiospores, are asexual, non-motile spores of a fungus; they are also called mitospores due to the way they are generated through the cellular process of mitosis.

They are haploid cells genetically identical to the haploid parent, can develop into a new organism if conditions are favorable, and serve in biological dispersal.

Asexual reproduction in Ascomycetes (the Phylum Ascomycota) is by the formation of conidia, which are borne on specialized stalks called conidiophores.

The morphology of these specialized conidiophores is often distinctive of a specific species and can therefore be used in identification of the species.

Conidia formation is the End Product of ASEXUAL REPRDUCTION in Ascomycota .................( 3 )

They are BORNE  EXTERNALLY on the Stalk like CONIDIOPHORE (  The bearer of conidia )...........( 4 )

They are numerous ( Unlike eight ascospores ).........( 5 )

Click on the links for images ===

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...

http://www.mouldclean.ca/images/What%20i...

http://129.215.156.68/Images/Asexual%20s...

From = A Botanist