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Reproduction in Protozoa
Asexual reproduction is advantageous in stable,
favorable environments because it perpetuates
successful genotypes precisely. Sexual
reproduction produces genetic variety, which is
advantageous in an unstable environment.
Murali Krishna
Asexual Vs Sexual fission and newly appear in the
Asexual reproduction is the daughter individuals. The
creation of a clone of genetically longitudinal binary fission of
identical individuals whose genes Euglena is described as a
come from one parent. It enables symmetrogenic division as
successful clones to spread. It also daughter individuals are mirror
enables isolated animals to images.
reproduce without locating mates. Homothetogenic Division
It can cause exponentially Paramecium reproduces by
multiplication of organisms in a binary fission during favourable
short amount of time. conditions. Paramecium stops
In sexual reproduction, two feeding and oral groove disappears.
parents give rise to offspring that The micronucleus divides by
have unique combinations of genes mitosis whereas macronucleus
inherited from the two parents. The divides by amitosis. Two new oral
offspring vary genetically from grooves appear, and cytokinesis
their siblings and both parents. occurs. The anterior daughter
Crossing over th at occurs in (proter) receives anterior
meiosis brings about genetic contractile vacuole and
recombination. Sexual cytopharynx of the parent.
reproduction enhances the survival Posterior daughter (opisthe)
of organisms in changing receives the posterior contractile
environments. vacuole of the parent. A new
Asexual Reproduction contractile vacuole is formed in
Protozoans reproduce asexually each daughter individual. A new
by various methods. cytopharynx is formed in the
opisthe. This binary fission is
Binary Fission pekinetal (at right angles to
The plane of binary fission is kineties).
transverse (Paramecium), or Other Methods
longitudinal (Euglena), oblique
Ceratium) or irregular (Amoeba). Multiple fission is seen in the
sarcodines and the sporozoans.
Symmetrogenic Division Plasmotomy is the division of a
Euglena undergoes binary multinucleate protozoan into
fission durin g favourable multinucleate daughter individuals
conditions and in the encysted by cytokinesis without karyokinesis
stage. Nucleus divides into two by e.g. Opalina. Budding is common
mitosis. Cytokinesis begins at the in suctorians. It is exogenous in
anterior end and proceeds towards Ephelota and endogenous in
the posterior end. Blepharoplasts Acineta.
and chloroplasts also undergo Sexual Reproduction
division. The old flagella are
retained by one daughter individual Sexual reproduction in
protozoans is by conjugation or
and the other develops new flagella.
The contractile vacuole, stigma and syngamy. Syngamy is the fusion of
gametes. It may be isogamy
paraflagellar body disappear during
(Monocystis) or an isogamy
(Plasmodium).
Conjugation
Due to repeated amitosis in
binary fissions macronucleus
becomes senile. Conjugation is a
temporary union between two
ciliates of different mating types for
nuclear exchange and
reorganization. Vorticella divides
by longitudinal binary fission to
form a sessile macroconjugant and
a motile microconjugant. A
microconjugant attaches to the
macroconjugant of a different
mating type.
Prezygotic nuclear divisions: The
micronucleus of the microconjugant
undergoes three successive nuclear
divisions of which the first one is
reductional. Seven nuclei disappear
and one remains. The micronucleus
of macroconjugant undergoes two
successive nuclear divisions of
which the first one is reductional.
Three nuclei disintegrate and only
one nucleus remains. The remaining
nucleus in each conjugant divides
into two pronuclei (migratory and
stationary).
Amphimixis: The two conjugants
exchange their micronuclei. The
migratory pronucleus of the
microconjugant migrates into
macroconjugant and fuses with its
stationary pronucleus forming a
diploid synkaryon. The
microconjugant shrinks and
disappears.
Postzygotic nuclear divisions: The
synkaryon undergoes three series of
mitotic divisions forming eight
nuclei. Seven nuclei become the
macronuclei and one becomes the
micronucleus.
Postconjugation fissions: The
zygote undergoes a series of three
successive postconjugation binary
fissions to form seven daughters.
During these divisions macronuclei
do not divide but get distributed
between the two daughter
individuals.