Protists

(Heterotrophs (Slime & Water

Molds] and Sporozoans)

Tompong, Edy Jason

Nuñez, Kish Ashley
Slime Molds and Water
Molds
 The fungus-like protists
resemble the fungi during
some part of their life cycle.
These organisms exhibit
properties of both fungi and
protists. The slime molds and
the water molds are members
of this group. They all obtain
energy by decomposing
organic materials, and as a They can
result, are important be brightly
for recycling nutrients. colored and live
in cool, moist,
dark habitats.
 Slime Molds and Water Molds
Slime Molds Water Molds
 Enclosed in cell wall  Live in water and damp
made of nucleus soil
 During life cycles they  Phytophthora infestans
have flagellated legs (is an [amoeba protozoa]
microorganism,
specifically an oomycete,
which causes the serious
potato and tomato
disease known as late
blight or potato blight)
 SLIME MOLDS

are classified by their

modes of reproduction

Plasmodial Slime Cellular Slime

Molds Molds
Plasmodial Slime
Molds
 The plasmodial slime
molds form a structure called
a plasmodium, a mass of
cytoplasm that contains many
nuclei but has no cell walls or
membranes to separate
individual cells. The
plasmodium is the feeding
stage of the slime mold.
It moves much like
an amoeba, slowly
sneaking along decaying
organic material. It moves
at a rate of 1 in (2.5 cm)
per hour,
engulfing microorganisms.
 The reproductive structure of plasmodial slime
molds occurs when the plasmodium forms a stalked
structure during unfavorable conditions. This structure
produces spores that can be released and travel large
distances. The spores land and produce a zygote that
grows into a new plasmodium.
Cellular Slime
Molds
 The cellular slime molds
exist as individual cells during
the feeding stage. These cells
can move like an amoeba as When conditions
well, engulfing food along the become unfavorable, the
way. The feeding cells cells come together to form
reproduce asexually a large mass of cells
through cell division. resembling a plasmodium.
This mass of cells can
move as one organism and
looks much like a garden
slug. The mass eventually
develops into a stalked
structure capable of sexual
reproduction.
Water Molds
 The water molds and
downy mildews belong to the
phylum Oomycota. They grow
on the surface of dead
organisms or plants,
decomposing the organic
material and absorbing
nutrients. Most live in water or
Water molds grow in moist areas.
as a mass of fuzzy white
threads on dead material.
The difference between
these organisms and true
fungi is the water molds
form flagellated
reproductive cells during
their life cycles.
Sporozoans
 The fifth Phylum of
the Protist Kingdom,
known as Apicomplexa,
gathers several species
of obligate intracellular
protozoan parasites clas
sified as Sporozoa or
Sporozoans, because
they form reproductive
cells known as spores.

The Sporozoa
reproduction cycle has both
asexual and sexual phases.
 The asexual phase is termed schizogony (from
the Greek, meaning generation through division), in
which merozoites (daughter cells) are produced through
multiple nuclear fissions. The sexual phase is known as
sporogony (i.e., generation of spores) and is followed by
gametogony or the production of sexually reproductive
cells termed gamonts.

Each pair of gamonts form a gamontocyst where

the division of both gamonts, preceded by repeated
nuclear divisions, originates numerous gametes.
Gametes fuse in pairs, forming zygotes that undergo
meiosis (cell division), thus forming new sporozoites.
When sporozoites invade new host cells, the life cycle
starts again. This general description of Sporozoan life
cycle has some variation among different species and
groups.
Schizogony (Asexual Phase)
Sporogony (Sexual Phase)
 Sporozoans have no flagellated extensions
for locomotion, with most species presenting only
gliding motility, except for male gametes in the
sexual phase, which have a flagellated stage of
motility. All Sporozoa have a cellular structure
known as apical complex, which gave origin to the
name of the Phylum, Apicomplexa.
 Sporozoa cellular
organization consists of the
apical complex, micropore,
longitudinal microtubular
cytoskeleton, and cortical
alveoli. The apical complex
consists of cytoskeletal and
secretory structures forming a
conoid (a small open cone),
polar wings that fix the
cytoskeletal microtubules, two
apical rings, and secretory
vesicles known as micronemes
and rhoptries. The apical
complex enables Sporozoans to
invade the host cells.
 Plasmodium species are the causing agents
of malaria in humans and animals and affects
approximately 300 million people around the world, with an
estimative of one million new cases each year. They are
transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito (infecting
vector) that injects Plasmodium sporozoites present in the
salivary glands of the mosquito into the host's blood
stream.
 Once in the blood stream, Plasmodium sporozoites
invade erythrocytes (red blood cells) and migrate to the liver
to infect the hepatocytes, where their asexual reproductive
phase starts. When the merozoite stage is reached, they are
released into the circulation again, where they become ring-
like trophozoites that undergo schizogony, forming new
merozoites that invade the erythrocytes, thus repeating the
reproductive cycle.
Female anopheles mosquitoes ingest merozoites
together with the host's blood. Ingested merozoites form
zygotes in the guts of the vector mosquito, later developing
into oocysts, from which new sporozoites will be formed and
migrate to the anopheles' salivary gland, ready to
contaminate the next host. Malaria can also be transmitted
through infected blood transfusions.