Kingdom Protista

1. Kingdom Protista Packet #66 Chapter #28

2. Characteristics • Unicellular, or simple multicellular eukaryotes • Heterotrophic or autotrophic • Most are aquatic and may compose plankton • Reproduction ranges from asexual to sexual modes • HW • Syngamy • Include protozoa, algae, slime molds and water molds © Ryan Barrow 2008

3. Ecological Role • Protozoa are an important part of zooplankton. • Algae are important producers (autotrophs) • Especially in marine and freshwater ecosystems • Important source of oxygen © Ryan Barrow 2008

4. “Evolutionary” Connection • Zooflagellates, such as Giardia, may be more closely related to prokaryotes than any other protist group © Ryan Barrow 2008

5. “Evolutionary” Connection • Endosymbiotic Theory • Describes the origin of chloroplasts from photosynthetic prokaryotes and mitochondria from aerobic bacteria • Apicomplexans are parasites, and nonphotosynthetic, but have a chloroplast “relic” from secondary endosymbiotic events • An apicomplexan causes malaria and a chemical that inhibits chloroplasts may be useful in treatment. • Electron microscopy evidence suggests protists are monophyletic but most biologists regards protists as paraphyletic based on structures and molecular data © Ryan Barrow 2008

6. The Good • Red Algae • Agar and carageenan are commercial products derived from red algae • Cell walls often have thick sticky polysaccharides • Coralline red algae are important in building coral reefs © Ryan Barrow 2008

7. The Good II • Brown Algae • Algin is commercial product derived from brown algae • HW • Where is algin used? • Source of food—particularly in Asian countries © Ryan Barrow 2008

8. The Bad • The Red Tide • Caused by dinoflagellates © Ryan Barrow 2008

9. The Ugly • Malaria • Caused by Plasmodium falciparum • Could be fatal if untreated © Ryan Barrow 2008

10. Princeton Review Book Princeton Review Amoeba • Students are to memorize the different phyla of Kingdom Protista on pages 129 & 130