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Protista and Fungi: Key Features, Types and Examples

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Protista

Protista

  • - Presents eucariotic cells
  • - Representatives: protozoa and algae
  • - Mostly unicellular

Protozoa

  • - Eukaryotes
  • - Unicellular
  • - Heterotrophs

Classification

Protozoans are classified by the presence of organelles used for locomotion:

  • 1) Rhizopods: move by means of pseudopodia. Ex: Amoeba, which causes amebiasis (transmitted by contaminated water and food).
  • 2) Ciliates: move by means of cilia. Ex: Paramecium.
  • 3) Sporozoans: do not have locomotor structures. Ex: Plasmodium (malaria) and Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis).
  • 4) Flagellates: move by means of flagella. Ex: Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease).

Note: Reproduction is asexual.

Algae (Microscopic)

  • - Eukaryotes
  • - Unicellular
  • - Autotrophic
  • 1) Euglenophytes (mostly freshwater; some are part of the phytoplankton). Ex: Euglena.
  • 2) Chrysophytes (mostly marine). Ex: Diatoms.
  • 3) Pyrrophytes (Red Tide).

Multicellular Algae

Without formal classification, found mostly in the sea, larger and visible to the naked eye.

  • - Multicellular
  • - Eukaryotes
  • - Autotrophic
  • - Reproduction can be asexual or sexual
  • 1) Chlorophyta (green algae)
  • 2) Phaeophyta (brown algae)
  • 3) Rhodophyta (red algae)


Kingdom Fungi

Features

  • - Can be unicellular or multicellular
  • - Are eukaryotes (nucleus enclosed by a membrane called karyotheca)
  • - Can be microscopic or macroscopic
  • - Live in humid places rich in organic matter
  • - Are decomposers of organic matter
  • - Are heterotrophs by absorption (extracorporeal digestion)
  • - Do not possess chlorophyll
  • - Have a cell wall composed of chitin
  • - Reproduce asexually or sexually, or through hyphae fusion
  • - Their body is formed by hyphae; the tangled mass of hyphae is called mycelium

Examples

  • - Single-celled fungi: yeasts
  • - Multicellular fungi: mushrooms, filamentous fungi, mycelium
  • - Microscopic fungi: yeasts and filamentous fungi
  • - Macroscopic fungi: oyster mushroom and bracket fungi

Industrial Uses

  • - Bread making: yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
  • - Manufacture of alcoholic beverages
  • - Cheese making
  • - Medicine production (Penicillium notatum): antibiotic

Diseases

  • - Candidiasis
  • - Mycoses
  • - Thrush
  • - Ringworm

Lichens

Lichens are a mutualistic association between fungi and unicellular algae or filamentous cyanobacteria (blue-green algae).

  • - Are indicators of air quality
  • - Found on tree branches

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