Kingdom Protista

Submitted to: Mrs. Orteza Submitted by: Aspili, Alleli A. Leyran, Kristine Joy F. Ayers, Anna Christela V. BSBAMM2A

Protozoans

General Characteristic
Protozoa are unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms lacking a cell wall and belonging to the Kingdom Protista. Although there are nearly 20,000 species of protozoa, relatively few cause disease. Most inhabit soil and water. Protozoa reproduce asexually by the following means: Fission: One cell splits into two. Schizogony: Multiple fission. The nucleus divides many times before the cell divides. The single cell then separates into numerous daughter cells. Budding: Buds form and pinch off of the parent cell.

Asexual Reproduction

Amoeba

Flagellate

Ciliate

General Characteristic
Some protozoa also reproduce sexually by fusion of gametes.

The vegetative, reproducing, feeding form of a protozoan is called a trophozoite. Under certain conditions, some protozoa produce a protective form called a cyst that enable them to survive harsh environments. Cysts allow some pathogens to survive outside their host.
Protozoa, simplest in structure, are the most primitive or first animals of nature. They are heterogenous assemblage of some 50,000 acellular or single cell organisms possessing typical (eukaryote) membrane bound cellular organelles. These are commensal, mutualistics, and many parasitic species. The great majority of protozoa are microscopic.

Specific Characteristics
The Role of Protozoan Cytoplasmic Membrane Components in Initiating Body Defense In order to protect against infection, one of the things the body must initially do is detect the presence of microorganisms. The body does this by recognizing molecules unique to microorganisms that are not associated with human cells. These unique molecules are called pathogen-associated molecular patterns or PAMPs. (Because all microbes, not just pathogenic microbes, possess PAMPs, pathogen-associated molecular patterns are sometimes referred to as microbe-associated molecular patterns or MAMPs.)

Importance to the Environment

Components of protozoans such as GPI-anchored proteins (GPI = glycosylphosphatidylinositol) are PAMPs that can bind to patternrecognition receptors or PRRs on a variety of defense cells of the body and triggers innate immune defenses such as inflammation , fever, and phagocytosis. Protozoans are ecologically important primary producers,

consumers and as vital links in the food chain

In the environment, protozoa generally live by digesting bacteria, and are therefore analogous to human phagocytes. It is conceivable that the ability of some pathogens to survive phagocytosis is an evolutionary development from their ability to survive ingestion by protozoa in the environment.

Diseases they cause

Humans are greatly effected by parasitic protozoans either directly or indirectly Effects range from irritating - fatal Malaria (Plasmodium spp.) worldwide epidemic

Malaria

Diseases they cause

Disease Amoebiasis Primary Amoebic meningoencephalitis Giardiasis Trichomoniasis African Sleeping Sickness Leishmaniasis ( Kala azar) Toxoplasmosis Malaria Causal Agent Entamoeba histolytica Naegleria fowleri Organs Affected Intestine, Liver Brain, Lungs Transmission Vector Water, Food Water

Giardia Lamblia Trichomonas vaginalis Trypanosoma brucei Leishmania donovani

Intestine Urogenital Organs Blood, Brain White Blood Cells,Skin, Intestine Blood, Eyes Liver, Red Blood Cells

Water, Contact ,Sexual Contact Tsetse fly ( Glossina) Sand fly ( Phlemotomus) Domestic cats, Food Mosquito ( anopheles)

Toxoplasma gondii Plasmodium spp.

Babesiosis
Pneumocytosis ( PCP)

Babesia microti
Pneumocystis carinii

Red Blood Cells

Lungs

Tick ( Txode)
Droplets

Classification
Alveolate Protozoans Phylum Ciliophora Phylum Dinozoa Phylum Apicomplexa Phylum Foraminifera Phylum Radiozoa Phytoflagellated protozoans

The Cercozoa (Amoeboid Protozoans)

Phylum Ciliophora
Defining characteristics Body externally ciliated in at least some lifecycle stages Have the highest degree of subcellular specialization and are considered advanced protozoans
Paramecium feces

Phylum Apicomplexa (Sporozoa)

All members of this phylum are endoparasites Includes Malaria (Plasmodium) Toxoplasma gondii Perkinsus spp. Pneumocystis carinii

Amoeboid Protozoans
Contains 4 phyla: Foraminifera, Radiozoa, Amoebozoa, and Heliozoa Most reproduce asexually through binary fission Characterized by pseudopodia Food is usually captured by phagocytosis Body types range from free flowing to rigid with skeletal supports

Amebas and Humans

Class Foraminifera (Cercozoa)

Defining characteristics
Individuals secrete multi-chambered tests, generally made of calcium carbonate (CaCo3)

Foram. tests

Phylum Radiozoa (Cercozoa)

Defining characteristics Body is divided into distinct zones separated by a perforated membrane or capsule Have pseudopodia supported with thin microtubules that give a spiny rayed appearance

Phytoflagellated Protozoans
Have chlorophyll and obtain energy directly from the sunlight
Some are strictly autotrophic or heterotrophic

Some are a combination of both

Both the Euglena and the dinoflagellates are examples of phytoflagellated protozoans.

Phytoflagellated Protozoans

Dinoflagellates

General Characteristics
They are planktonic. 90% of all dinoflagellates are marine plankton.

They are small. Although many of them are microscopic, the largest, Noctiluca, may be as large as 2 mm in diameter!

They are motile. Dinoflagellates swim by means of two flagella, movable protein strands which propel the cell through the water. The longitudinal flagellum extends out from the sulcal groove of the hypotheca (posterior part of cell); when it whips back and forth it propels the cell forward. The flattened flagellum lies in the cingulum, the groove that extends around the equator of the cell. Its motion provides maneuvering and forward movement. As a result of the action of the two flagella the cell spirals as it moves.

General Characteristics
Many are covered by cellulose plates. The cell is surrounding by a series of membranes called the amphiesma. In "armored" species cellulose deposited between the membranes forms rigid plates called thecae. "Naked" cells lack thecae.

Their chromosomes are always condensed. In addition, the DNA is not associated with histones as in other eukaryotic cells. Dinoflagellates contain a lot of DNA, which explains the large size of the nucleus. The metabolic requirements of supporting the large amount of DNA may explain the low growth rates of dinoflagellates compared to other unicellular protists.

Not all dinoflagellates are photosynthetic. Many dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, manufacturing their own food using the energy from sunlight, and providing a food source for other organisms. The photosynthetic dinoflagellates are important primary producers in coastal waters.

Specific Characteristics
At the ultra structural level, dinoflagellates have a common cell covering. In the cited species the plate pattern is crucial, along with their morphological, flagellar and cytological characters. The identification of new species or any critical taxonomy requires complete elucidation of the plate pattern, apical pore plate, periflagellar area, and cell size and shape which can be difficult, and requiring special techniques. The theca can be smooth ornamented and relatively unornamented. The architectural details of species are complex and species specific. Examples illustrate the surface ornamentation and architectural details of dinoflagellates below.

Specific Characteristics
Protoceratium reticulatum has a round to oval shape and species-specific theca strongly reticulated with pore at the center of each ridged reticulation. The plates are difficult to see without breaking up the theca. Prorocentrum - CB sp. has a round lenticular shape, compressed in side view. The thecal surface is laced by round to ovoid areolae with smooth margin. Some areolae have oblong trichocyst pores present at the center. Gambierdiscus australes are round in apical view and compressed anteroposteriorly. The apical pore plate is oriented ventrally. It is an ellipsoid plate with a characteristic large fishhook-shaped apical opening surrounded by rows of evenly distributed round pores on the smooth valve.

Specific Characteristics
Prorocentrum compressum broadly ovate cell in valve view; compressed in side view. The periflagellar area has five characteristic anterior projections, an extension of the periflagellar plates, like collars. Valves covered with evenly distributed round pores situated in depressions. The cell shape of Prorocentrum gracile is slender that is more than twice as long as broad. It is distinguished by having a long winged anterior spine adjacent to the periflagellar area. Valve covered by evenly distributed round areolae. The periflagellar area of Prorocentrum sp. is located on the right valve. It is a V---shaped, broad triangle. It has a prominent curved apical collar located adjacent (on the left) to the flagellar pore and a smaller protuberant apical plate (on the right) adjacent to the flagellar pore. The cell has unique valve margins composed of large trichocyst pores which align the cell's margin.

Benthic Species

Prorocentrum mexicanum- a red tide forming species.

Scrippsiella tifida

Oceanic Species

Ornithocercus thumii

Ornithocercus magnificus

Importance to the Environment

Dinoflagellates currently form a major part of the ocean plankton, especially the armoured and autotrophic forms, and they play a prominent role in the food chains of the marine realm. The autotrophic forms blossom in areas of upwelling currents rich in nutrients.

Heterotrophic dinoflagellate cysts are grazing (feeding) on phytoplankton cells e.g. variety of diatom (and dinoflagellate) species . In mixed food supply, they feeds selectively on diatoms over dinoflagellates, and selects between diatom species. Selectivity between different diatom species does not appear to be related to size.

Importance to the Environment

As a whole, the dinoflagellate has a wide temperature tolerance 135 C. Many dinoflagellates have geographic distributions reflecting oceanic temperature zones and hence may be used as indicators of climate oscillations. Some genera are found in both fresh and salt water although the majority of species are marine and sensitive to changes in water mass, including salinity changes. Planktonic forms with a predatory or parasitic mode of life are usually unarmored. Other forms are immobile, benthic, colonial forms and may live symbiotically in the tissues of reef-building corals and larger foraminifera. There are several problems in interpreting the palaeoecology of fossil dinoflagellates, e.g. those cysts which are formed may sink and drift. Recent studies, however, suggest that modern cyst assemblages from the sea floor in fact bear a strong resemblance to the main overlying water-mass distributions, so that the transport of cysts is probably not very great

Importance to the Environment

Majority of dinoflagellates (90 %) are marine plankton. They have adapted to the pelagic environment as free-floating in the water column, and to the benthic habitat as attached and associated with the bottom from arctic to tropical seas, from freshwater to estuaries and to hypersaline waters. Many species are cosmopolitan and can live in a variety of habitats: in the plankton, examples of species illustrated as oceanic species; or attached to sediments, sand, corals, or to macroalgal surfaces or to other aquatic plants as illustrated as benthic species present in oceanic coral reefmangrove habitats. Some species are associated with marine invertebrates and fish. Some even serve as symbionts, known as zooxanthellae, providing organic carbon to their hosts: reef-building corals, sponges, clams, jellyfish, anemones and squid. This group of unicellular microorganisms comprises a large number of unusual algal species of many shapes and sizes. About 140 genera in this group with about 2000 photosynthetic and 2000 heterotrophic species are described.

Diseases they cause

What is a Red tide?

Dinoflagellates have attracted much attention from the general public throughout history. The most dramatic effect of dinoflagellates on their environment occurs in coastal waters. An upwelling occurs in the ocean, bathing the surface plankton in nutrients from the bottom of the ocean, or land runoff triggers a 'bloom" of photosynthetic dinoflagellates, whose population density may reach several million per liter of water. 'Blooms' are cell population explosion, may cause discoloration of the water golden or red, and is called 'red tide' (due to accumulation of carotenoid pigments). 'Red tides', can have harmful effects on the sea life and their consumers and species known to form red tides in coral reef mangrove habitats, are illustrated.

Diseases they cause

Toxic Blooms More intriguing and of public concern are the toxins that certain species produce. When these toxic species are in bloom conditions they can cause mass mortalities in a variety of marine organisms. The toxins can be quickly carried up the food chain and indirectly passed onto humans via fish and shellfish consumption, sometimes resulting in gastrointestinal illness, permanent neurological damage, or even death. Socioeconomic stresses also result due to the closing of commercial fisheries and mariculture until the harmful algal bloom dissipates. Over the last several decades many areas of the world, including the United States, have experienced a growing trend in the incidence of toxic dinoflagellate blooms. There are different types of harmful dinoflagellate blooms.

Diseases they cause

RED TIDE FORMING

Prorocentrum

Prorocentrum sp. red tide producing species enclosed in a thin membrane

Diseases they cause

RED TIDE FORMING

Plagodinium belizeanum producing red tides. Cell shows the presence of two flagella

Prorocentrum arenarium

Ciliates

General Characteristics
What are Ciliates?

Ciliates are unicellular protists that can be recognized by their hair like 'cilia'. They use them for locomotion and for feeding. Some ciliates are very small, not much larger than the largest bacteria. Paramecium does not become much larger than 0.3 mm. Below the centre of the organism you see the feeding opening. The cilia make a current to sweep in bacteria and other food particles. At the base of the feeding opening the food has been enclosed by a vacuole. Food vacuoles are used to transport the food through the cell. Star-shaped contractile vacuoles or water expelling vesicles are used to balance the amount of water in the cell.Two nuclei bear the genetic information.

General Characteristics

General Characteristics
65% of all ciliate species are free-living and mobile Some ciliates form colonial aggregations and have sessile habits Other ciliates have symbiotic relationships in invertebrates and vertebrates

Vorticella

Ciliate Biology
Oral groove Cytostome Cytoproct Contractile vacuole
Paramecium

General Characteristics

Stalked ciliates belong to the Class Ciliophora and to the Subclass Peritrichia. Peritrichs are characterized by having cilia at their apical pole (mouth) As the name implies, they have a stalk which they use to anchor or fix themselves to an object.

General Characteristics

This particular ciliate resembles a stalked ciliate except that it has no stalk. These two ciliates are confined within a bell-shaped housing. The entire body of these ciliates contracts within its shell. This photomicrograph was taken using a phase contrast microscope at 1000x magnification.

General Characteristics

This photo of a fixed stalked ciliate was taken at a magnification of 1000x. Notice the cilia located at the apical end. There are two different types of stalked ciliates. Contractile stalked ciliates and fixed stalked ciliates.

General Characteristics

This is a bouquet of fixed stalked ciliates. Suctoria can be seen sticking out of the colony.

General Characteristics

This is a Gram stain of a free-swimming Holotrichate ciliate. Notice the cilia surrounding the entire body. this photo was taken at a magnification of 400x.

General Characteristics

This is Euplotes, a Spirotrichate ciliate. Notice the short cilia which have become hardened (cirri) and are used for locomotion.

Specific Characteristics
In multicellular organisms the many cells are specialised (differentiated). Different types of cells are able to perform all kinds of tasks (i.e. act as nerve cells, muscle cells, blood cells etc.) Unicellular organisms possess organelles, special structures inside or on the cell that help to perform all kinds of tasks. Food vacuoles and the water expelling vesicles are such organelles. Many ciliates have developed all kinds of very special organelles. Paramecium uses so-called trichocysts: tiny pointed filaments that can be fired at a predator when threatened.

Specific Characteristics

Trichocysts of a Paramecium

Specific Characteristics
Myonemes: they are fibers that act like muscles. We can see them in the stalks of bell animalcules like Vorticella and Carchesium. They are able to contract the stalk with exceptional speed. In the righthand image the myonemes are visible as the light wavy bands inside the stalks.

In many ciliates fused cilia can be seen. Groups of cilia are fused into sheet-like membranelles. As undulating sheets they sweep in food particles. They can be seen in the bell animalcules. Other ciliates have thick round bundles of cilia called cirri which act like legs and enable the organism to actually walk over a surface. To coordinate these cirri independently they have nerve-like organelles called neurofibrils. The top image of Euplotes and Stylonychia shows both types of cilia.

Specific Characteristics

Carchesium, colonial bell animalcules.

Specific Characteristics
The trumpet animalcule Stentor is one of the biggest

ciliates. Extended they can be 2 millimeters long and

just visible with the naked eye.These green Stentors show a clever trick several other small organisms use.

They are green because they make use of a symbiotic

green algae called Chlorella. The page about Green algae will show these algae in Close up.

Specific Characteristics

Illustration of Stentor

Importance to the Environment

Ciliates can be used to clean the waste waters, because they feed on bacteria. These three types of ciliated protozoa provide the following benefits to the activated sludge process:

Free-swimming ciliate. The free-swimming ciliate is a single-celled organism that moves by the beating action of hair-like structures or cilia that are found in rows that cover the entire surface of the organism.

Importance to the Environment

Crawling ciliate. The crawling ciliate is a single-celled organism that moves by the beating action of hair-like structures or cilia that are found in rows that cover only the ventral or belly surface of the organism.

Importance to the Environment

Stalked ciliate. The stalked ciliate is a single-celled organisms that moves by the beating action of hair-like structures or cilia that are found in rows that surround only the mouth opening of the organism. Some stalked ciliates may grow in a colony, and some by spring by means of a contractile filament or myoneme in the posterior portion or stalk of the organism.

Importance to the Environment

As a summary, these ciliated protozoans, give the following benefits. Add weight to floc particles and improve their settle ability. Consume dispersed cells and cleanse the waste stream.

Produce and release secretions that coat and remove fine solids (colloids, dispersed cells, and particulate material) from the bulk solution to the surface of floc particles. Recycle nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) through their excretions.

Diseases they cause

The only member of the ciliate family to cause human disease is Balantidium coli. Balantidium coli is widely distributed in warmer climates, which is where human infections most commonly occur. The organisms inhabit the large intestine, caecum and terminal ileum where they feed on bacteria. The most common hosts being humans, pigs and rodents. Human infection is usually from pigs and is rare. Balantinium coli is a giant ciliate that causes diarrhea in humans. It burrows into the intestinal mucosa and rarely invades tissue further. The most common source of this organism as an agent of human disease is from pigs fecal material. However, it may be spread from person to person by vomits and contaminated water. Oral tetracycline usually controls the infection.

Life cycle of Balantidium coli.

Balantidium coli cyst.