MICROBES

What is MICROBES?
A microorganism or microbe is an
organism which is microscopic, making it
too small to be seen by the unaided human
eye. The study of microorganisms is called
microbiology. Microorganisms include ba
cteria, fungi, archaea, protists and viruses,
and are among the earliest known life
forms.
PROTISTS
Are a diverse group of microbes.
They are found everywhere. Some
live in bodies of water, in moist
environment, and even live inside
our body. Protist are classified as
unicellular and multicellular
organisms.
They have characteristics similar
to those of plants, animals, ang
fungi. So they are classified as
protozoans, algae, or funguslike
protists.
1. PROTOZOANS
 These are animal – like protists. They get food from other
sources.
 They are classified according to their mode of environment.

 1. Sarcodines – these are protozoans that move using their

pseudopods (false feet). There are many distinctive shapes of
pseudopods such as filose, which are long and thin, and
reticulose, which are net-like. These structures also allow the
organisms to detect and engulf nearby
prey. Sarcodines are found in almost anywhere there is
water including marine, freshwater, and soil environments.M
 A. Sarcodines – these are protozoans that
move using their pseudopods (false feet).
There are many distinctive shapes of
pseudopods such as filose, which are long
and thin, and reticulose, which are net-like.
These structures also allow the organisms
to detect and engulf nearby
prey. Sarcodines are found in almost
anywhere there is water including marine,
freshwater, and soil environment.
B. Ciliates – these are protozoans that move
using their cilia.
The ciliates are a group of 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.
C. Flagellates - these are protozoans that
move using their flagella.
A flagellate is a cell or organism with one or
more whip-like appendages called flagella.
The word flagellate also describes a particular
construction (or level of organization)
characteristic of many prokaryotes
and eukaryotes and their means of motion.
D. Sporozoans- these are nonmotile
protozoans. They release spores to
reproduce.
 Some sporozoans, like the malarial
organism, live primarily in the blood
cells; others, like Coccidia, live in the
epithelial cells lining the intestine. Still
others live in muscles, kidneys, and
other organs.
A B

D
2. ALGAE
These are plantlike protists. Algae are
responsible for most of the photosynthesis in
bodies of water. Algae are also diverse. Here
are several types of algae:
A. Chlorophytes (Green algae)- they contain
high amount of chlorophyll and are common
in moist, light-abundant areas.
Chlorophyll is a green photosynthetic pigment found in
plants, and algae.
B. Rhodophytes (Red algae)
Their cells lack flagella. They are often
found in tide pools and coral reefs
C. Dinoflagellates
They have two flagella that move in a
spinning motion. Some species are
bioluminescent, which means that they can
glow in the dark ocean floor.
D. Diatoms
 They are the most common form of
phytoplankton (single-celled algae that float near
the surface of water) . They can be found in moist
environments. They have cell walls made of
silica.
E. Phaeophytes (brown algae)
 They are multicellular organisms that live in marine
environments. They have air bladders, which allow
them to float upward and get exposed to sunlight.
3. FUNGUSLIKE PROTISTS
They share many characteristics with true
fungi. They get food from other sources,
particularly decaying matter. They reproduce
by releasing spores.
FUNGI – it is eukaryotic organisms
that can be found everywhere. Many
kinds of fungi live in moist
environments. They get their food
from decaying matter. Their cell
walls are made of chitin. Most fungi
reproduce by releasing spores.
 A. Ascomycetes
– they are characterized by a saclike
structure called the ascus , which contains
4-8 ascospores during their sexual stage.
 B. Basidiomycetes

- they are diverse group of filamentous

fungi, whic are composed of hyphae. In
their sexual stage, they bear a club-shaped
basidium which contains 4 basidiospere

. Chytrids
C

-They are characterized by producing

zoospores in their sexual stage. The
zoospores are motile cells, each with
one flagellum.
 D. Zygomycetes (zygote fungi)
- They are characterized by the formation of
zygospores through the conjugation of two
gametangia (sex organs). The zygospores are
thick-walled and help preserve the fungus for
long periods of time during its dormancy.
BACTERIA

- are unicellular organisms. Bacteria are

prokaryotic. They are found everywhere:
in water, in the soil, in air and even
inside your body. It can be also classified
according to their shape: bacillus or rod-
shaped bacteria.....