Fungal and Invertebrate Webquest Answer sheet Fall 2020 Name: ___Nimi Vasipalli_______________ Lab SecAon #: ____001E_______ Be sure to refer to the images on the lab website when answering these questions. Question 1 (refer to website image) Below is an image of the Death Angel or Destroying Angel mushroom (Amanita ocreata). While it looks similar to some other edible wild mushrooms, it is quite deadly to eat. a. Name the phylum where you would place this organism. (0.5 pt) a. Phylum basidiomycota b. Upon what characteristic can you see here to base your decision? (0.5 pt) a. Characteristics: it looks like a mushroom, which are fungi which would be either basidiomycota or acsomycota. b. Then for the difference between the two phylums, ascomycota is sac fungi and basidiomycota is club fungi which is what the Death Angel mushroom is shaped like c. What toxin does this mushroom contain and how does this toxin ultimately kill those who eat it? (1 pt) a. The toxin that this mushroom has is called amatoxin b. This kills those who eat it because it inhibits RNA polymerase II and III Question 2 While the first antibiotic was made from the fungus Penicillium, some species of Penicillium have been found to produce cholesterol lowering compounds. Name 1 of the species of Penicillium (give the full scientific name –written properly) that produces such compounds. (0.5 pt each) a. Scientific name: Penicillium citrinum - makes blue cheese blue, yielded vastation, which is the first statin - or cholesterol-lowering compound - to be identified b. Why are these compounds important? These compounds are important because if you have high cholesterol you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels which puts you at a higher risk of blood disease. This is why these compounds are important if you want to lower you risks of high cholesterol. .