I. Protists –A. General Characteristics

Eukaryotic Cells (cells contain organelles) Protists can be either unicellular or multicellular They are often very small – Only visible with a microscope Reproduce sexually or asexually Some are:

i. Only Heterotrophsii. Only Autotrophsiii. Both Heterotroph and Autotroph

D. 3 Types of Protisti. Animal- like Protist

ii. Fungus- like Protist

iii. Plant- like Protist

II. Animal- like Protist• They are heterotrophic

Eat bacteria and other micro-organisms• May have 2 Nuclei

Macronucleus – contains DNA for movement and feeding

Micronucleus- contains DNA for sexual reproduction

• Move in 3 different waysi. Pseudopod Movement

Pseudopod – false foot Moves like The Blob in the movies Ex. Amoeba

ii. Cilia Movement Uses eyelash like projections to move

iii. Flagella Movement Use a whip like tail to get around

III. Fungus- like Protisti. They are heterotrophic

Eat bacteria and other micro-organisms

ii. 2 Types Water Molds

Live in water or moist places Ex. Some water molds can kill

humans if they infect the body. Slime Molds

Live in moist soil and on decaying plants and trees.

They can form a multicellular mass, which makes spores

Each spore develops into a new slime mold.

III. Plant- like Protist• They are autotrophs

Create their own source of energy from sunlight

• May be unicellular or multicellular. Ex. Algae – unicellular Ex. Seaweed - multicellular

• Types of Algae Diatoms

unicellular Have glass like cell walls.

Green Algae Use green pigment. Mostly

multicellular. Red Algae

Multicellular seaweed living in deep oceans

Brown Algae Common seaweed. Ex. Kelp

FungiI. Characteristics

• Cells are eukaryotic• Use spores to reproduce• Heterotrophs – yes fungi eat stuff• Most are multicellular– Only yeast are unicellular

• There are more that 100,000 species of fungusII. Fungi Cell Structure

• Cell walls contain chitin– Chitin also makes up exoskeleton of insects

• Fungi cells make up Hyphae/Mycelium– Hyphae are threadlike tubes that make

up the body of most fungi.– Most of a fungus is actually hidden under

ground in a tangled mass called Mycelium

III. How do fungi eat?• They are heterotrophic decomposers

Decomposers break down chemicals in dead organisms. This returns nutrients to soil and gets rid of dead plants and

animals.• They absorb food through the hyphae

Mycellium grow all over the source of food Digestive chemicals exit out of the Mycellium into the food.

V. Fungi are the world’s frie…nemies?• Food for people – we eat many kinds of fungi.– Ex. Yeast causes bread to rise.– Ex. mushrooms from store.

• Some Fungi help Plants– Fungi (known as Mycorrhizae) grow around the roots of plants

helping the plant to absorb extra moisture and nutrients in soil.

• Disease Causing Fungi – attack plants, animals, and humans– Ex. Athlete’s foot fungus makes feet itch– Ex. Ringworm is NOT a worm, but a fungus that makes a red

ring on the skin.

• Disease Fighting Fungi – Penicillium– Penicillium is a fungus that produces a chemical which kills

bacteria.– We use this chemical as an antibiotic to fight bacterial

infections.