Elisa, Estefania, Amber

AP Biology Protist Essential Topics/Activities

Resources: Chapter 28 (starting on pg. 578), Online Notes, Microscope slides, Articles
and Podcast, Protists Information Site:
http://www.biology-pages.info/P/Protists.html

Part I: Survey of the Protist Kingdom

Scientists see Kingdom Protista as the next candidate for being split into multiple kingdoms.
These Kingdoms have been proposed and are called “supergroups” or “Candidate Kingdoms”.
Fill in the highlighted portions of the chart.

Domai Kingdo Candidate Sub-group Characteristics Examples

n m Kingdom

Eukary Protista Excavata Diplomonads

a

E P Parabasalids

E P Euglenozoans Unicellular, 1 Tryponosom

flagellum a Bruca

E P Chromalveolat Dinoflagellates unicellular Algae

a eukaryotic
organisms with
two whip-like tails
called flagella
used for
movement. They
can be found in
marine and
freshwater
environments all
over the world.

E P Apicomplexans
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E P Ciliates group of Suctoria

protozoans
characterized by
the presence of
hair-like
organelles called
cilia, which are
identical in
structure to
eukaryotic
flagella, but are in
general shorter
and present in
much larger
numbers, with a
different
undulating pattern
than flagella.

E P Diatoms

E P Golden Algae

E P Brown Algae

E P Oomycetes The anterior Water molds

flagellum of a
zoospore is a
tinsel type, while
the posterior
flagellum is a
whiplash type;
both are typically
attached in a
ventral groove
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E P Rhizaria Chlorachniophyte
s

E P Forams

E P Radiolarians

E P Archaeplastida Red Algae

E P Chlorophytes Green colourfrom Green algae

chlorophyll a and
b in the same
proportions as the
'higher' plants;
beta-carotene (a
yellow pigment);
and various
characteristic
xanthophylls
(yellowish or
brownish
pigments).

E P Charophyceans

E P Unikonta Slime Molds

E P Gymnamoebas Coenocyti
​Actively seek hyphae
and consume
bacteria and
other protists.
Also feed on
detrius
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(non-living
organic material)
Part of the
Amoebazoans
and the Unikonta
group

E P Entamoebas ​Are parasites Entamoeba

which makes coli
them different
from the other
amoebozoans.
Part of the
Amoebozoans
and the Unikonta
group

E P Choanoflagellate
s

1. From the chart above, which Candidate Kingdom gave rise to land plants?
a. Protista
From the chart above, which Candidate Kingdom gave rise to Animals and Fungi?
Anamilia

Part II: Microscope Inspection of Prepared Protist Slides

The slides are in a container at the front. Take one at a time. You must complete the
questions for two different organism slides.
1. Organism being viewed.
2. Draw what you see under medium power (label magnification). Draw what you see
under high power (label magnification)
3. Do you see a nucleus? If so, label it in your drawing.
4. Do you see other organelles? Chloroplasts, vacuoles… yes we see a nucleous,
vacuoles and ribosomes
5. To what Kindgom does this organism belong? protista
6. What subgroup or Phyla does this organism belong to? animilia
7. Does this organism have structures to move? What are they? Yes cilia
8. Would this be considered animal-like, plant-like or fungus-like? Explain your answer.
ALL OF THE ANSWERS ARE ON THE PIC BELOW
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Part III: Protists that Cause Disease

1. Read the article, “What diseases do protists cause?” List three protist diseases
from the article:
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1. What are the symptoms? Malaria. African sleeping sickness,

GiardiasisSymptons of malaria include chills, fever, shivering, stomach
pains, diahrea, headaches, nausia, symptoms of african sleeping sickness,
pain in joints, insomnia, or sleepiness, weight loss, headaches, itching etc
2. Is a vector involved? If so, what organisms is the vector? Malaria is found
from mosquitos, African sleeping sickness is from tesete flies and
Giardiasis is in
3. General geography of this protist disease.Malaria is found in the Saharah
desert in africa or south america, African sleping sickness is in Africa and
Giardiasns is in streams and lakes.

Enrichment: Listen to the podcast: “Taxoplasmosis is turning the world into zombies?”.
You can find the file on Edmodo as a post or saved in the ​Diversity of Life ​folder.
a. Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protist however two other organisms from
Kingdom Animalia are instrumental in the spread of this disease. Name these two
organisms and describe their role.
Toxoplasma gondii is a single celled organism that is known for being the cause of
toxoplasmosis, a common food born illness. T. gondii is a unicellular, parasitic protist, classified
as an apicomplexan within the group alveolate. ... T. gondii is a close relative of plasmodium,
the parasite that causes malaria.
b. What adaptation has this protist developed to make sure the two animals
necessary stay in contact with each other?
c. What are some symptoms of Toxoplasmosis?
9. d. How are men and women affected differently by the disease?​ ​Toxoplasma is
primarily a rodent parasite, human beings are not immune. Our cohabitation with cats
ensures ample opportunity for toxoplasmosis to occur through fecal contact. Since its
discovery in the early 1900s, the protozoan had been widely viewed as a relatively
benign passenger in humans. The only perceived threat was to patients with
compromised immune systems (such as people with AIDS) and pregnant women whose
fetuses are often deformed or aborted by the pathogen. It was believed that a healthy
human host could control the parasite indefinitely. t seems that it does nothing. It is
strange because there is a very a strong effect on women and no effect on men. I
suppose that there are two processes that cancel each other out. One is they are ill, so
that decreases sexual drive; the other is that Toxoplasma is known to increase the
concentration of testosterone in males. So you would think that would increase the sex
drive.
10.
Part I: Survey of Fungus Kingdom Fill in the chart below
Chytrids= Eukaryote, Fungi. ​Most chytrids are unicellular; a few form
multicellular organisms and hyphae, which have no septa between cells
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(​coenocytic​). They reproduce both sexually and asexually; the asexual spores are
called diploid zoospores. Their gametes are the only fungal cells known to have a
flagellum. (Allomyces).
Zygomycetes= Eukaryote, fungi. ​In its asexual ​phase​ it develops bulbous
black sporangia at the tips of upright hyphae, each containing ​hundreds​ of
haploid spores​. As in most zygomycetes, asexual reproduction is the most
common form of reproduction. (Rhizopus stolonifer)
Glomeromycetes = Eukaryote, fungus. ​ include molds, such as those that
invade breads and other food products. The identifying characteristics of the
Zygomycota are the formation of a zygospore during sexual reproduction and the
lack of ​hyphal cell walls​ except in reproductive ​structures​. Acaulospora
Ascomycetes = Eukaryote, Fungi. ​Asexual reproduction in ascomycetes and
their characteristics. Ascomycetes: Ascomycetes are 'spore shooters'. They are
fungi which produce ​microscopic​ spores inside special, elongated cells or sacs,
known as 'asci', which give the group its ​name​. Sac fungi
Basidiomycetes = Eukaryote, fungi. ​production of ​forcibly​ discharged ​ballistospores
(​Fig. 2​), which are propelled into the air from the sterigma. ​Ballistospores​ may be
sexual or asexual, and may be produced by basidia, hyphae, yeast cells, or even
other ​ballistospores​. Ustilago nuda

Part II: General Fungus Questions

1. Create a venn diagram to show compare and contrast plants and fungus.
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2. Are fungus sexual, asexual or both? What is a spore? What role does air play in
fungal reproduction?
Fungi​ reproduce ​sexually​ and/or ​asexually​. ... In both ​sexual​ and ​asexual
reproduction, ​fungi​ produce spores that disperse from the parent organism by
either floating on the wind or hitching a ride on an animal. ​Fungal​ spores are
smaller and lighter than plant seeds. a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual
reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for
extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life
cycles of many plants, algae, fungi and protozoa
3. Why are fungi ecologically important?
They are essential to the recycling of nutrients in all terrestrial habitats
because they are the dominant decomposers of the complex components of plant
debris, such as cellulose and lignin.
4. Describe the relationship that forms lichens. Do you agree with the scientists that
say that lichens are an example of a mutualistic relationship? Defend your response
A ​lichen​ is not a single organism. Rather, it is a symbiosis between
different organisms, a ​fungus ​and an alga or cyanobacterium. Cyanobacteria are
sometimes still referred to as 'blue-green algae', though they are quite distinct
from the algae. I agree with the scientists bc lichens have a mutualistic
relationship because mutualistic relationship between a fungus and a
photosynthetic organism. The other organism is usually a cyanobacterium or
green alga. The fungus grows around the bacterial or algal cells. The fungus
benefits from the constant supply of food produced by the photosynthesizer.
.

Part III: General Anatomy/Inspection

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1. Examine and write observations of the specimen in the room, using the
dissecting scope. To which phyla/subgroups above do you think these species of
fungi belong? Can you see where the spores are produced? There is mold on the
blackerries, it is fuzzy and grey and pink on some parts of it. The mold a part of phylum
Zygomycota because it sexually produces zygospores and is considered saprophytic
and parasitic. The Zygomycetes all have chitenous cell walls in a coenocytic mycelium
and they lack motile spores.
Corn smut:

Part IV: Fungal Infections

1. Read the article titled: Lethal Fungus Adds to Tornado Woes. There are hard
copies of the article or you can go to the following site:

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/11/health/la-he-joplin-fungus-20110611

a. What conditions about an area during a tornado clean-up could lead to fungal
infestations? ​Murcomycosis, traditionally known as zygomycosis, is a family of rare
diseases caused by several different fungi that live in soil. The most common form
occurs when fungal spores are inhaled. The organisms take root in the sinuses, then
spread to the lungs and throughout the body. It typically strikes people with weakened
immune systems, such as those with cancer or diabetes, or who are on
immune-suppressing medications because they have had organ transplants. So
basically things in the soil can lead to fungal infestations and all of this stuff listed
b. What is the name of the fungus found in the wounds of the individuals?
-B​ acteroides and ​Clostridium​ species may cause deeper wound infections. Tularemia—this 
infection is caused by Francisella tularensis bacteria. They primarily infect rabbits and 
rodents, but humans can get infections through tick or deer fly bites or contact with ​infected 
animals that can result in skin ulcers.
2. Name at least two other human fungal diseases.​Tinea corporis or ringworm is a 
skin infection caused by a fungus that lives on dead tissues, such as the skin, hair, and 
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nails. Ringworm is the fungus that causes both jock itch and athlete's foot. When it 
appears anywhere else on the body, the infection is just called ringworm
3. Using what you know about fungus hypothesize how fungus relates to regulations
on non-native species entering the United States. Because fungus makes spores and can
be air and water born its easy for them to come in without us knowing of it.