Life Functions in Protists
Your Father was a protist
ANIMAL LIKE PROTISTS (19.1)
• Also known as “protozoans”
• Heterotrophic
• Classified into four groups based on how they
move
– Zooflagellates
– Sarcodines
– Ciliates
– sporozoans
Zooflagellates
• Use a flagella to move:
– A long projection that looks much like a “whip”
• Same things that a sperm cell use to move
• Some reproduce asexually (mitosis) and some
reproduce sexually (meiosis)
Sarcodines
• Move using something called a pseudopod
– this same pseudopod (pseudopodia) is used to
help the amoeba capture and take in food
particles
• Amoeba is a cell that is a sarcodine (***)
– Amoebas also called the “SHAPELESS PROTIST”
Ciliates
• These use “cilia” for movement and feeding
– Cilia move in a sweeping motion to help cell move
– Cilia also sweep food particles toward the “oral
groove” of the cell
• Paramecium is a cell that is a ciliate (***)
• Removes excess water using a “contractile
vacuole”
• Contain 2 nuclei:
– Macronucleus: stores genetic information (DNA)
– Micronucleus: backup copy of cells genes for
reproduction
Paramecium
Ciliates
• Some reproduce asexually (binary fission)
• Some reproduce sexually (conjugation)
– No new individuals are really formed here, they
are just exchanging genetic information through
the PILUS connecting them
Sporozoans
• Parasites that live in hosts such as fish, birds,
and humans
– That means they get their food from their hosts
• Reproduce by means of spores
– A tiny cell that can grow into an organism
PLANT LIKE PROTISTS (19.2)
• Commonly described as algae
– Contain chlorophyll and conduct photosynthesis
• Usually live near the edges of water
– And a vast amount in the oceans
• Produce a MAJORITY of the earth’s oxygen
• Six groups:
– Diatoms, dinoflagellates, euglenoids, red algae,
brown algae, green algae
Cells
Diatoms Dinoflag Euglenoi Red
ellates
ds
Algae
Brown
Algae
Green
Algae
Uni-
Multi-
Multi-
UniMulti-
Auto
Auto
Auto
Uni-
Nutritio
n
Auto- (50%) Auto
HeteroDecomp.
(50%)
Moveme
nt
2 Flagella
(Spinning
Algae)
Flagella
Asexually
(binary
fission)
Binary
fission
Reprodu
ction
Sexually
Asexually
*Alternatio
n of
Generation
s
Alternation of Generations
• In this pattern of reproduction, organisms
alternate between haploid (n) and diploid (2n)
• Gametophyte:
– Haploid (n) form of organism
– Produces “gametes” (duh!)
• Sporophyte:
– Diploid (2n) form of organism
– Undergoes meiosis to form haploid spores (n) that can
develop into a new gametophyte
• Look at Figure 19.14 on page 516
FUNGUS LIKE PROTISTS (19.3)
•
•
•
•
Heterotrophs (decomposers)
Have cell walls
Use spores to reproduce
ARE DIFFERENT FROM FUNGI because they
“lack chitin in their cell wall”
• Include 2 groups:
– Slime molds
– Water molds
Slime Molds
• Resemble colorful blobs that live in damp
environments
• Living mass oozes across a surface
– Feeds on bacteria, bits of decaying organic matter,
and microorganisms
• Are like animals because they move about and
engulf food
Water Molds
•
•
•
•
Small, unicellular
Live in water/moist soil
Grow as tiny threads that look like “fuzz”
Some are decomposers, others are parasites
that live on a host
• THE END!!!