An advanced undergraduate textbook for courses in biotechnology, fungal biology and fungal genetics.Fungi are studied widely because of their commercial importance in biotechnology, agriculture and medicine, and because they provide simple model systems for understanding the mechanisms of life. This book focuses on new developments in molecular and cell biology and presents examples of how these approaches are solving long-held and fascinating problems in areas as diverse as animal and plant pathology, protein expression and evolution.Fungi are studied widely because of their commercial importance in biotechnology, agriculture and medicine, and because they provide simple model systems for understanding the mechanisms of life. This book focuses on new developments in molecular and cell biology and presents examples of how these approaches are solving long-held and fascinating problems in areas as diverse as animal and plant pathology, protein expression and evolution.Fungi are a diverse group of organisms, studied widely because of their commercial importance in biotechnology, agriculture, and medicine, and because they provide simple model systems for illuminating the eukaryotic mode of life. The advancement of techniques in molecular biology has opened up new areas of mycological research, with important consequences such as the sequencing of the first entire eukaryotic genome. This book focuses on the application of molecular and cell biology to mycology and presents examples of how these approaches are elucidating long-held problems in areas as diverse as animal and plant pathology, protein expression, and evolution. Aimed at advanced undergraduates taking courses in mycology, applied biology, biotechnology, fungal biology and fungal genetics, this textbook will also serve postgraduates needing an introduction to modern fungal research.Preface; 1. Fungi - important organisms in history and today M. Wedde, M. Jacobs and U. Stahl; 2. Fungal phylogeny M. L. BerbeelCI