EUKARYOTIC MICROORGANISM SCRIPT

Hi there! Welcome to the world of Eukarmon! My name is Professor Dency.

Everyone calls me the Eukarmon Professor!

That’s right! This word is widely inhabited by eukaryotic microorganisms. Parasitic

diseases affect billions of people.

In this chapter, we will examine the eukaryotic microorganisms that affect

humans: fungi, algae, protozoa, parasitic helminths, and the arthropods that

transmit diseases.

Let’s go visit the world of Eukarmon!

………………..
Hi Ash! This is the Eukarmon laboratory in which we examine every eukarmon

microorganism.

Eukarmon (Eukaryotic) are organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other

membrane-bound organelles. There is a wide range of eukaryotic organisms,

including all animals, plants, fungi, protists, as well as most algae. Eukaryotes may

be either single-celled or multicellular.

The origin of the eukaryotic cell is a milestone in the evolution of life. Well if

you are curious about its origin, let’s try to look into the history.

Eukarmon (Eukaryotes) evolved during the Proterozoic eon approximately 1.6

BYA. They arose as a result of a fusion of Archaean cells with bacteria.

The first eukaryotic cells evolved from a symbiotic relationship between two or

more prokaryotic cells called endosymbiotic theory Where Smaller prokaryotic

cells were engulfed by larger prokaryotic cells. . The theory gives an explanation
of how eukaryotic cells could have evolve from prokaryote. It states that the

mitochondria and chloroplast in eukaryotic cells were once aerobic bacteria

(prokaryote) that were ingested by a large anaerobic bacteria (prokaryote) then

later become eukaryotes, amazing right?

Eukaryotes are classified into unicellular (protists) and multicellular (Fungi, plants

& animals) microorganisms. domain Eukarya has undergone major reclassification

based on six supergroups:excavata,chromalveolata,rhizaria, archaeplastida,

amoebozoa & opisthokonta

This time, we will discover the four domains of Eukarya.

Starting with the PROTOZOA

Protozoa are single celled organisms. They come in many different shapes and

sizes ranging from an Amoeba which can change its shape to Paramecium with its

fixed shape and complex structure. They live in a wide variety of moist habitats

including fresh water,marine environments and the soil.

Protozoa play important roles in environmental food web dynamics. They graze

on bacteria thus regulating bacterial populations, they part-take in wastewater

treatment processes, they maintain fertility in soil by releasing nutrients when

they digest bacteria.

Next would be Alga

Algae are eukaryotic organisms that have no roots, stems, or leaves but do have

chlorophyll and other pigments for carrying out photosynthesis. Algae can be

multicellular or unicellular. Unicellular algae occur most frequently in water,

especially in plankton.

They play a vital role in aquatic ecosystems by forming the energy base of the

food web for all aquatic organisms. As autotrophic organisms, algae convert

water and carbon dioxide to sugar through the process of photosynthesis.

Next is Fungi

Fungi can be single celled or very complex multicellular organisms. They are found

in just about any habitat but most live on the land, mainly in soil or on plant

material rather than in sea or fresh water

Together with bacteria, fungi are responsible for breaking down organic matter

and releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus into the soil and the

atmosphere. Fungi are essential to many household and industrial processes,

notably the making of bread, wine, beer, and certain cheeses.

Next is Animals

Divided into arthropods and helminths. Arthropods are invertebrate animals in

the phylum Arthropoda with segmented bodies, external skeletons, and jointed

appendages. Arthropods include the arachnids, insects, and crustaceans. Also,

they are invertebrate animals in the phylum Arthropoda with segmented bodies,

external skeletons, and jointed appendages. Arthropods include the arachnids,

insects, and crustaceans.

Helminths are characterized by the presence of attachment organs which include

suckers, hooks, lips, teeth, and dentary plates. They are characterized by the

presence of attachment organs which include suckers, hooks, lips, teeth, and

dentary plates. Most obtain nutrients by ingestion through a mouth; some are

absorptive.

I’m going to give you a very, very important Eukarmon. The moment you choose

the Eukarmon that willaccompany you on your journey, your story will truly begin.
During your journey, you will meet many Eukarmon and people with different

personalities and point of view! That’s right! Befriend new people and Eukarmon

and grow as a person!

Let’s go visit the world of Eukarmon!

CLASSIFICATION OF EUKARYOTES

UNICELLULAR

Meaning: made up of only one cell that carries out all of the functions needed by the organism

Protist (unicellular)

Definition: any member of a group of diverse eukaryotic, predominantly unicellular microscopic

organisms

Function

-act as decomposers and help in recycling nutrients through ecosystems

- serve as the foundation of the food chain

- the primary sources of food for many animals

Characteristic

 They are eukaryotic, which means they have a nucleus.

 Most have mitochondria.
 They can be parasites.
 They all prefer aquatic or moist environments.

Classification

-animal-like protists

-plant-like protists
-fungi-like protists.

Examples: algae, amoebas, euglena, plasmodium, and slime molds.

MULTICELLULAR

Meaning: consisting of many cells.

Fungi

Definition: organisms that eats organic material

Function

-responsible for breaking down organic matter and releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
into the soil and the atmosphere.

-essential to many household and industrial processes

Characteristic

• Fungi are eukaryotic organisms means they have true nucleus which are enclosed in
membranes.
• They are non-vascular organisms.
• There is no embryonic stage for fungi.

The three major groups of fungi are:

 Multicellular filamentous moulds.

 Macroscopic filamentous fungi that form large fruiting bodies.
 Single celled microscopic yeasts.

Examples: yeasts, rusts, stinkhorns, puffballs, truffles, molds, mildews and mushrooms.

Plants

Definition: a living thing that grows in the earth and has a stem, leaves, and roots

Function

- acts as the primary source of nutrition for all life forms on earth

-only source of oxygen in nature.

Characteristic

• Plants make their own food.

• Plants have a cuticle.
• Plant cells have a cell wall.
• Plants reproduce with spores and sex cells.

Major groups
 • seed plants
• ferns
• lycophytes
• horsetails
• bryophytes

Examples: trees, flowers, moss, grasses

Animals

Definition: eukaryotic multicellular organisms of the biological kingdom Animalia

Function

- obtaining food and oxygen

-keeping internal conditions stable

-moving

-reproducing

Characteristic

• multicellular.
• heterotrophic, obtaining their energy by consuming energy-releasing food substances.
• typically reproduce sexually.
• made up of cells that do not have cell walls.
• capable of motion in some stage of their lives.

Groups

• Mammals
• Fish
• Birds
• Reptiles
• Amphibians

Examples: bats, elephants, hamsters

NEW CLASSIFICATION OF THE DOMAIN EUKARYA

SUBGROUPS

EXCAVATA

Definition: a supergroup of protists

Characteristics: a conspicuous ventral feeding groove with a characteristic ultrastructure, supported by

microtubules—the "excavated"

Mode of nutrition: through absorption

Mode of transmission: move with flagella and membrane rippling

Host site: mammalian host

Disease: sleeping sickness (Euglenozoa), sexually transmitted disease

Reservoir: aquatic area

Example: Euglenozoa (found in moist soils), Percolozoa (bacterivores in soil or fresh water), Euglenids
(water ponds)

Life cycle: a free-swimming stage and a non-motile stage

CHROMALVEOLATA

Definition: evolved organisms that originated by the engulfment of the red algal cells having the
chloroplast.

Characteristics: textured, “hairy,” flagellum

Mode of nutrition: through oral grooves

Mode of transmission: Cilia enable the organism to move.

Host site: mammalian host

Disease: acute febrile illness (malaria)

Reservoir: aquatic area

Example: diatoms, brown algae

AMOEBOZOA

Definition: A taxonomic group including the amoeboid protists that are characterized by having
pseudopods and a cell divided into endoplasm and ectoplasm layers.

Characteristics: tube-like or flat lobes

Mode of nutrition: locomotion and feeding

Mode of transmission: through food and water contaminate

Host site: slime, vertebrate hosts, a few live in the gut or Malpighian tubules of insects.

Disease: Amoebiasis (by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the parasite)

Reservoir: can live in either marine and fresh water or in soil

Example: Amoebida, Mycetozoa (found in decaying plant)

Unicellular Parasites Example: Slime molds

Definition: a simple organism that consists of an acellular mass of creeping gelatinous protoplasm
containing nuclei, or a mass of amoeboid cells

Characteristics: Plasmodial and cellular forms

Mode of nutrition: phagocytosis

Mode of transmission: It moves over rotting logs or leaves and feeds by phagocytosis.

Host site: dead plant material

Life cycle: begin life as amoeba-like cells

ARCHAEPLASTIDA

Definition: are the group containing essentially all of the primary algae

Characteristics: lack centrioles and have mitochondria with flat cristae.

Mode of nutrition: Autotrophic (photosynthetic)

Mode of transmission: Free floating, goes with the water current

Disease: Keshan and Kashin-Beck diseases

Example: glaucophytes, red algae, Chlorophyta

Life cycle: Algal life cycle

RHIZARIA

Definition: an ill-defined but species-rich supergroup of mostly unicellular eukaryotes

Characteristics: presence of needle-like pseudopodia

Mode of nutrition: trap and engulf food particles

Mode of transmission: locomote using flagella

Host site: human hosts

Disease: Chagas disease

Example: radiolarian and forams

Life cycle: involves an alternation between haploid and diploid phases

OPISTHOKONTA

Definition: is a large supergroup of eukaryotes including metazoans and fungi

Characteristics: synthesis of extracellular chitin in exoskeleton, cyst/spore wall, or cell wall of

filamentous growth and hyphae
Mode of nutrition: through flagellum

Example: choanoflagellates, Choanozoa, Holozoa