Download or read book Chemistry of Fungi written by James R. Hanson and published by Royal Society of Chemistry. This book was released on 2008-08-14 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fungi occupy an important place in the natural world, as non-photosynthetic organisms, they obtain their nutrients from the degradation of organic material. They use many of their secondary metabolites to secure a place in a competitive natural environment and to protect themselves from predation. The diverse structures, biosyntheses and biological activities of fungal metabolites have attracted chemists for many years. Fungi are ubiquitous and their activities affect many aspects of our daily lives whether it be as sources of pharmaceuticals and food or as spoilage organisms and the causes of.