The Yeasts and Other Fungi - Experiments

1. Take at least two of the yeasts provided and make a wet mount with Lactophenol Cotton Blue stain, cover with a cover slip and observe under 100X and 400X. Draw what you see. Make note of size, shape and presence and number of buds.

2. Look at the demonstrations covering the alcoholic fermentations for beer and wine. Name the gas produced in the fermentation vessel.

3. Make Tape Mounts of the Fungi Imperfecti provided:

• Work on disinfectant soaked paper towels
• Place a drop of Lactophenol Cotton Blue on a slide
• Tear off about 3 cm of clear tape and pinch the ends together with a pair of forceps so that the sticky side of the tape is facing outward. Place the tape sticky side down on to the fungal colony of choice. Try to place the tape so that it samples the "radius" of fungal colony, this so that the tape picks up mature as well as immature mycelial elements. Make sure that you have good contact before lifting the tape off.
• Lay the tape, sticky side down on to the drop of Lactophenol Coton Blue on the slide. Use another pair of forceps if necessary to help you position the piece of tape.
• Observe under 100X and 400X. Note that the tape serves as a coverslip for the specimen.

QUESTIONS:

a. Can you identify the hyphae?

b. Can you see septa?

c. Can you find any sporangia or conidia?

4. Look at the Ascomycete and Basidiomycete demonstrations