The Diverse World of Protists
The Diverse World of Protists
The Diverse World of Protists
WORLD OF
PROTISTS
PROTISTS
• First Eukaryotes to evolve ~ 1.5 Billion
years ago
• Unicellular and multicellular
• Can live in colonies
• Live any where there is water – lakes,
oceans, damp soil, sand, leaf litter
CLASSIFICATION
• Kingdom – Protists
• Subkingdom – Protozoa
• Protozoa
proto = first
zoa = animal
Single celled organisms
Contain organelles to carry specific functions
CLASSIFICATION
• Comprised of seven phylum
Phylum Sarcomastigophora
• Sarko = fleshy
• Mastigo = whip
Phylum Ciliophora
Phylum Apicomplexa
• Apex = point
• Com = together
HOMEOSTASIS
• Structure
Pellicle – rigid microtubules, maintains shape
Ectoplasm – outside cytoplasm
Endoplasm – inside cytoplasm
• Water Balance
Water enters protozoa through osmosis
Contractile vacuole – maintains water and
solute balance
REPRODUCTION
• Asexual reproduction
Budding – pinching off of cell produces
smaller daughter cell
Binary fission – mitosis produces two identical
offspring
Multiple Fission (schizogony) – cell division
that produces multiple cells
MOVEMENT
• Pseudopodia
Pseudo – false
Pod – foot
Extension of cytoplasm
• Cilia
Hairlike protein fibers
Movement and attachment
• Flagella
Thin protein whip
Rotates or whips back and forth
HOMEOSTASIS
• Nutrition
Cytopharynx – mouth
Food vacuoles – digestion and transport
of food
Egestion vacuoles - contain digested
material
Ctyopyge – release waste by exocytosis
LIFESTYLES
• Symbiosis – one organism lives in close
association with another organism
Parasitism – live in or on a host that is usually
harmed
Commensalism – one member benefits and
host is not harmed
Mutualism – both species benefit
PHYLUM
SARCOMASTIGOPHORA
• Unicellular or lives in colonies
• Flagella and/or pseudopodia
• Autotrophic, saprozoic, heterotrophic
• One nucleus
• Sexual reproduction
PHYLUM
SARCOMASTIGOPHORA
• Class Phytomastigophorea
– Euglena
• Class Zoomastigophorea
– Trypanosoma
– Trichomonas
– Giardia
– Leishmania
• Amoeba
Euglena Anatomy
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Trypanosoma
African Sleeping Sickness
• Infects 20,000 – 25,000 annually
• Causes 55,000 deaths each year
• Cattle loses amount to $2.7 billion a
year
• No vaccine or drug for prevention
• Limited drugs for treatment
Trypanosoma cruzi in blood smears
African Sleeping Sickness
Control
• Vector control through insecticides
• Protection against disease
– Avoid areas of high infection
– Wear thick, long-sleeved clothing
– Use bed nets
– Avoid dust and bushes
TRICHOMONIASIS
• STD caused by the protozoan parasite
Trichomonas vaginalis
• Effects 5 million Americans every year
• Infection frequently has no symptoms
TRICHOMONIASIS
• Infects vagina of woman and urethra
(urine canal) in men
• Women – frothy yellow-green discharge
with strong odor
• Men – mild discharge, burning during
urination
• Can be treated with antibiotics (95%
cure rate)
Trichomoniasis - Parasite
GIARDIA
• Giardia lamblia infects the small intestine
• Become cysts that are excreted
• Transmitted by contaminated food and
water
Diarrhea infected with Giardia
TRICHONYMPHA –
PROTIST FOUND IN TERMITES
Trichonympha Drawing
Trichonympha
Hypermastigid flagellates – large
number of flagella
SUBPHYLUM SARCODINA
• Move with pseudopod
• Naked or with shell
• Most free living
Amoeba Anatomy
Amoebic Dysentary
• Caused by Entamoeba histolytica
• Infection of the intestine
• Species spread through the blood to infect
the liver, lungs and brain
• Parasites found in contaminated food or
drink
• Mostly found in tropical regions
GREEN ALGAE
RED ALGAE
BROWN ALGAE
DIATOMS
DIATOMS
PHYLUM
CILIOPHORA
• Cilia for locomotion
• Rigid pellicle and fixed shape
• Distinct cytosome (mouth)
• Dimorphic nuclei
– Macronucleus for controlling cell functions
– Micronucleus for cell division
PHYLUM
CILIOPHORA
• Paramecium
Paramecium Anatomy
PHYLUM
APICOMPLEXA
• Parasitic with an apical complex to
penetrate host cells
• One nucleus
• Cilia and flagella lacking except in
certain reproductive stages
• Life cycle is asexual (schizogony,
sporogony) and sexual (gametogony)
phases
PHYLUM
APICOMPLEXA