Question

Make a list of algae and fungi that have commercial value as sources of food, chemical,medicine and food?

Answer 1

 Economic importance of Algae:
1. Many species of Porphyra, Laminaria and Sargassum are among the 70 species of marine, algae used as food. Chlorella and Spirullina are unicellular algae, rich in proteins and are used as food supplements even by space travellers.
2. Certain marine brown and red algae produce large amounts of hydrocolloids (water holding substances) or phycocolloids, e.g.: algin (brown algae) and carrageen (red algae) are used commercially. Agar, one of the commercial products obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria are used to grow microbes and in preparations of ice-creams and jellies.
3. Bromine is obtained from red algae Polysiphonia. Macrocystis is the source of Potash. Laminaria and Fucus are the source of Iodine.
B. Economic importance of Fungi:
1. Mushrooms, morels (Morchella) and truffles are edible fungi.
2. Microbes mainly yeasts used for the production of beverages like wine, beer, whisky, brandy or rum. For this purpose the yeast {Saccharomyces cerevisiae) used for fermenting malted cereals and juices to produce ethanol and commonly called Brewer’s yeast.
• Cyclosporin A is produced by Trichoderma polysporum (Fungus). Cyclosporin A is used as an immunosuppressive agent in organ transplant patients.
• Statins produced by Monascus purpureus (Yeast). Statins used as the blood-cholesterol lowering agent.
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Answer 2

Fungi-

- Used as an antibiotic called pencilin that is made from fungi called penicillium

- Used in baking industries to bake bread prepare wine through process of fermentation where single celled fungi yeast is used

- Mycorrhiza a fungi used for agricultural purposes which forms symbiotic relationships with roots is many plants

- Used in mushroom cultivation

Algae-

- spiruluna and Chlorella are single celled algae helps in production of single celled proteins

- Fucus kelp and gracilaria are kind of algaes used as thickening agent in ice creams and jellies