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Fungus vs Bacteria
Name: Steve G.
Status: Other
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
When observing and comparing bacterial growth with fungal
growth which have been cultured in a petri dish, in general, in what ways
do they differ?
Replies:
You cannot always tell just by looking. Many bacteria and fungal cells will
form nice small colonies with smooth round edges. Some fungal cells, for
example, molds, will form colonies that are "hairy", just like the mold you
see on old bread. Of course, there are filamentous bacteria too, but if I
were betting the odds, I would bet a fuzzy colony was fungal. Of course,
if you
have access to a microscope, the bacteria cells will not have a nucleus,
and the
fungal cell will.
Paul Mahoney, Ph.D.
Most bacteria produce round (though sometimes flat,
wet-like) colonies, whereas fungi produce colonies of
irregular shape, often star-like or 'hairy'. This is a
rough way of distinguishing the two.
Trudy Wassenaar
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Update: June 2012
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