Penicillium chrysogenum hyphae on agar

Penicillium chrysogenum (also known as Penicillium notatum) is the fungus from which antibiotic penicillin is produced. The purification of penicillin and solving of its chemical structure was completed by a team led by Howard Florey and 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the administration of the first therapeutic dose of the antibiotic. This image shows fungus which has been cultured on an agar plate. Fungal hyphae can be seen protruding through the agar substrate. Hyphae are an extension of the cell, and usually contain one or more nuclei, where DNA is made. Hyphae grow and branch away from each other, which is necessary for efficient colonisation and absorption of nutrients from the growth substrate. Width of image is approximately 150 micrometers