Written Assignment Unit 1

BIOL 1122 - Biology 2 for Health Studies Majors

Instructor Dr. Rita Mourya

November 30, 2022

Introduction:
Reproduction is necessary for any species to survive. Organisms can undergo either sexual or
asexual reproduction. This paper will discuss both methods of reproduction and examine
Plasmodium falciparum, a protozoan which undergoes both asexual and sexual reproduction.

Comparison of Asexual and Sexual Reproduction

“Asexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction in which a new offspring is produced by a
single parent.” (Admin, 2022, para. 2). The genome of the offspring of asexual reproduction is
exactly the same as the parent.

Types of asexual reproduction include binary fission, fragmentation, regeneration, budding,

vegetative propagation, spore formation, and parthenogenesis (Vix, 2022).

Advantages of asexual reproduction are that it can occur quickly, and it uses less energy. There
is no need for the organism to search for a mate. Disadvantages of asexual reproduction are that
it provides no genetic diversity which can be an evolutionary disadvantage (Vix, 2022).

Sexual reproduction is "sexual reproduction, the production of new organisms by the

combination of genetic information of two individuals of different sexes” (Sexual reproduction |
biology. (n.d.), para. 1).

Advantages of sexual reproduction are that it provides genetic diversity which will help the
species survive better in changing environments. Disadvantages of sexual reproduction are that
it requires time and energy to find a mate (Vix, 2022).

Asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction are similar in the fact that they result in offspring.
They are dissimilar in several ways. Asexual reproduction involves one parent, does not require
meiosis, and results in genetically identical offspring. Sexual reproduction involves two parents,
requires meiosis, and results in genetically unique offspring (Vix, 2022).

Evolutionary Advantages
Asexual reproduction can occur more quickly, and populate a habitat quickly which could
provide a slight evolutionary advantage. However, sexual reproduction provides more of an
advantage since it allows genetic diversity.

Plasmodium Falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum has been termed “the deadliest protozoan parasite of humans” (Talman
et al., 2004, para. 2). Malaria causes malaria, a disease causing fever, chills, head and muscle
aches, fatigue, anemia, jaundice and sometimes death. In 2020, 241 million people were
infected 627,000 people died from malaria (CDC - Malaria - About Malaria - FAQs, n.d.)

Plasmodium’s life cycle is as follows:

1. An infected Anopheles mosquito bites a person, injecting the immature malarial organisms
(sporozoites) into their blood.
2. The sporozoite travels by the blood to the liver where it undergoes asexual reproduction
(schizogony) producing merozoites.
3. The merozoite-filled hepatocyte ruptures, releasing merozoites into the blood.
4. The merozoites invade erythrocytes.
5. Some merozoites undergo asexual reproduction (schizogony), causing the erythrocyte to
burst and release merozoites, which infect another erythrocyte, etc.
6. Some undergo gametocytogenesis, producing male and female gametocytes (precursors to
gametes). This stage is required for transmission to the mosquito.
7. A mosquito bites the infected human and ingests the gametocytes.
8. In the mosquito gut, the gametocytes form gametes.
9. The gametes fertilize, forming a zygote which becomes a ookinete.
10. Ookinetes form an oocyst.
11. Sporozoites form in the oocyst, causing it to rupture, releasing the sporozoites into the
salivary gland where they can be injected into the next human that the mosquito bites
(Venugopal et al., 2020).

Adaptation:
Plasmodium uses both forms of reproduction to adapt to their environment to maximize their
growth and transmission. The asexual stages allow rapid multiplication of the parasite.
Pressure from the human’s immune system and anemia will stimulate Plasmodium to undergo
gametocytogenesis, so that it can be transmitted to the mosquito and continue its life cycle. In
the mosquito, sexual reproduction allows genetic diversity, making the parasite more resistant to
environmental changes, so that it can survive to be re-injected into the human.

Conclusion
Malaria creates a great deal of suffering worldwide. Its ability to undergo asexual and sexual
reproduction has made it hard to eradicate. Scientists continue to study its lifecycle to try to find
means to eliminate it.

Word count (without references): 639

References:

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BYJUS. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from
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%20mode,both%20multicellular%20and%20unicellular%20organisms

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 22). CDC - Malaria - about malaria -
faqs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from
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Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Sexual reproduction. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved

November 29, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/science/sexual-reproduction
Sexual reproduction | biology. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/sexual-reproduction

Talman, A. M., Domarle, O., McKenzie, F. E., Ariey, F., & Robert, V. (2004, July 14).
Gametocytogenesis : The puberty of Plasmodium falciparum - malaria journal. BioMed Central.
Retrieved November 29, 2022, from
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%20protozoan%20Plasmodium%20falciparum%20has,reproduction%20in%20the
%20anopheline%20mosquito

Venugopal, K., Hentzschel, F., Valkiūnas, G., & Marti, M. (2020). Plasmodium asexual growth
and sexual development in the haematopoietic niche of the host. Nature Reviews
Microbiology, 18(3), 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-019-0306-2
‌
Vix. (2022, June 12). Asexual reproduction - definition and examples - biology online dictionary.
Biology Articles, Tutorials & Dictionary Online. Retrieved November 29, 2022, from