[Campbell Biology P.719] According to the text, which of the following is NOT listed as a pr... | Practice Question

According to the text, which of the following is NOT listed as a practical use or benefit of fungi?

  • A: Production of antibiotics like penicillin.
  • B: Fermentation in brewing alcoholic beverages and making bread.
  • C: Acting as nitrogen-fixing bacteria in plant roots.
  • D: Source of pharmaceuticals such as cholesterol-lowering drugs and immunosuppressants.
  • E: Ripening of certain cheeses and production of highly valued edibles like truffles.

Explanation

The text details various beneficial uses of fungi, including their ecological role as decomposers, their use in food production cheese, morels, truffles, bread, alcoholic beverages , their medical value antibiotics like penicillin, compounds for blood pressure, cholesterol-lowering drugs, cyclosporine , and their importance in basic research Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Nitrogen fixation in plant roots is a process carried out by specific bacteria, not fungi, and is not mentioned in the text as a fungal benefit.