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| Black bread mold | ||||||||||||||
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 Mold can cover a loaf of bread nearly entirely in less than three days
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
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| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Rhizopus stolonifer (Ehrenb.: Fr.) Vuill. |
Rhizopus stolonifer (black bread mold) is a widely distributed Mucoralean mold.
Asexual spores are formed within sporangia, which break to release the spores mature. Germination of these spores forms the haploid hyphae of a new mycelium. R. stolonifer grows rapidly at temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees C[1].
Rhizopus stolonifer is a heterotrophic species (Schipper 1984), in that sexual reproduction happens only when opposite mating types (designated + and -) come in contact. Successful mating results in the formation of durable zygospores at the point of contact. Subsequently, the zygospore germinates and forms a sporangiophore whose sporangium contains both + and - haploid spores.
There are three varieties: R. stolonifer var. stolonifer produces straight, erect sporangiophores, whereas those of R. stolonifer var. lyococcos are curved [1]. A closely related species, Rhizopus sexualis, differs primarily in being homothallic (self-compatible).
Distribution and habitat
Rhizopus stolonifer has a pandemic distribution. It is also a type of threadlike mold. It is capable of causing opportunistic infections of humans (zygomycosis). It is most commonly found growing on bread and soft fruits such as bananas and grapes. Because its spores are common in the air, it can be grown within a few days by keeping moistened pieces of bread in an enclosed, humid environment.
References
- ^ a b Schipper, M. A. A. 1984. A revision of the genus Rhizopus. I. The Rh. stolonifer-group and Rh. oryzae. CBS Studies in Mycology 25:1-19.
External links
- Time lapse video of Rhizopus stolonifer attacking strawberries at the Cornell Mushroom Blog.
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 14 August 2008, at 17:00.
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