Describe the major roles of fungi that affect humans and their environment
What will be an ideal response?
Fungi have many effects on humans and their environment. First, along with bacteria, the primary
decomposers on Earth are fungi. Decomposers provide vital recycling of carbon and other nutrients;
without such recycling, the planet would quickly face a nutrient crisis as carbon and other nutrients
became locked up in leaf litter and other cast-off organic matter. Second, fungi are the cause of many
diseases. They are the greatest cause of plant diseases, and many diseases in animals (including
humans) are caused by fungi. Third, fungi provide extremely important direct benefits to about 90
percent of plants via mycorrhizae. Fourth, fungi are part of lichens, which begin the process of making
soils from bare rocks and which are the primary producers in some harsh environments like the arctic
tundra. Finally, fungi are used by humans for such things as baking, making cheeses, making alcoholic
beverages, making antibiotics, and as model organisms for studies of molecular biology and genetic
engineering in eukaryotes.
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Color vision depends on dominant alleles of three different genes: the R gene and the G gene, both on the X chromosome, and the B gene, which is autosomal. Recessive mutant alleles of any one of these three genes can cause color blindness in homozygotes. Suppose a color-blind man marries a color-blind woman and all their offspring have normal vision. What is the genotype of the woman?
A) RR GG bb B) RR gg BB C) rr GG bb D) RR gg BB or RR GG bb E) rr GG bb or rr gg BB
The first amino acid of a new polypeptide chain is
a. alanine. b. cysteine. c. variable. d. phenylalanine.
e. methionine.Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of plant cells?
A. Plasmodesmata are present. B. Plastids are present. C. Centrioles are present during mitosis. D. Cell wall is present.
Repolarlization of an axon during an action potential is produced by
a. inward diffusion of Na+ b. active extrusion of K+ c. outward diffusion of K+ d. inward active transport of Na+