Protists & Fungi - OH MY!

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In this module, we will study the following topics:

Module Key Terms

Endosymbiont Theory - a theory that explains the origin of some eukaryotic organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts) as the result of a symbiosis between a free-living prokaryote and a primitive eukaryotic cell
Animal-like protists (Protozoa) - mostly unicellular and motile heterotrophs that are obligate aquatic organisms (require water); thought to be the ancestors of animals
Pseudopodia - temporary projects of the cell membrane and cytoplasm that extend and retract to allow for movement and food ingestion in Amoeboid cells
Amoeboid Movement - type of movement in some protozoa resulting from the use of pseudopodia
Cilia - short hair-like projections that allow for movement; paramecium use cilia
Flagella - long hair-like structure that extends from the cell membrane and allows for movement and more than one may be present; euglenas use flagella
Sporozoan - protozoan that is not motile (stationary)
Pellicle - protective covering on the outside of the cell that some protists have (ex. Euglena)
Contractile Vacuole - an organelle in some protozoans that expands and contracts to regulate water balance with the environment
Eyespot (stigma) - an organelle in some protists that have photoreceptors, allowing the organism to detect light direction and intensity (ex. Chlamydomonas and Euglena)
Plant-like Protists (Algae) - photoautotrophs without roots, stems, or leaves; may be unicellular, multicellular, or colonial; obligate aquatic organisms; thought to be the ancestors of plants
Phytoplankton - microscopic photosynthetic organisms that float near the surface of the water; serve as the basis of the aquatic food chain
Red Tide - a type of algal bloom (population explosion) of phytoplankton that turns the water red or brown; they are generally harmful to the environment and can result in toxins released and low oxygen in the water
Eutrophication - an excess of fertilizer in a body of water causes an algal bloom that depletes the water of oxygen, therefore killing other organisms
Spores - reproductive structures are the result of meiosis and contain half the normal amount of chromosomes (haploid)
Fungus-Like Protists- heterotrophs that absorb their nutrients rather than ingesting food; examples are slime molds and water molds; thought to be the ancestors of fungi
Chitin - a complex polysaccharide found in the cell wall of fungi, as well as in the exoskeleton of insects
Hyphae (sing. Hypha) - the thin, vegetative structures of Fungi; one cell layer thick
Mycelium (pl. mycelia) - a mass of hyphae; may form a tangled mat (ex. Bread mold) or an organized body (ex. Pizza mushroom)
Fruiting Body - reproductive structures of Fungi; composed of mycelia supporting spore-producing structures, such as basidia and asci
Saprobe - a heterotrophic organism that lives on dead and decaying organic matter by absorbing it rather than digesting it
Ectomycorrhizal Fungi - grow thick coats of mycelium around the rootlets of trees and bring water and minerals from the soil into the roots; in return, the host tree supplies the fungus with sugars, vitamins, and other root substances; microscopic soil fungus that penetrates the roots of the plants; may be beneficial or harmful
Lichens - a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a green algae or photosynthetic bacteria
Fragmentation - a means of asexual reproduction in Fungi when hyphae are physically separated from one another; the piece parts can regenerate and continue living
Budding -a type of asexual reproduction that yeast use where the original yeast cell pinches off to produce a small offspring
Spores - microscopic, non-motile cells that serve as asexual reproduction in Fungi; they can develop into a new organism
Sporangia (sing. sporangium) - structure that produces spores
Septa (sing. Septum) - internal cell walls within the hyphae; often there are holes in the septa that allow organelles and other items to move among the hyphae
Coenocytic - containing more than one nucleus; mycelia without septa would be coenocytic
Ascus (sac) - structure that produces spores in Orange-cup Fungi
Basidia (sing. basidium) - structure that produces spores in mushrooms