Ciliates, Euglenozoa, and Malaria Flashcards
Characteristics of Ciliates
NOT AMEBOID PROTISTS
Unicellular chemoorganoheterotrophs, Have cilia; Primarily predators and scavengers; Also a few parasites(one pathogen)
Most recently evolved groups of protists, having significant organelle diversity!!
Each organelle is responsible for particular physiological, cellular, and/or physical process(Feeding, water intake/balance, waste disposal(in multiple ways), homeostasis(system balance), etc. )
Specialized ciliate structures
gullet, food vacuole, anal pore/cytoproct, contractile vacuole, macronucleus, micronucleus
Gullet
oral groove in ciliates, for feeding on bacteria, small protists, dead organic particles; lined with cilia
Food vacuole
structure in ciliates
multiple, flooded with enzymes; for intake/digestion of food and water, form at end of gullet/oral groove
attach to end of oral groove to collect food, become bigger over more intake
Anal pore/cytoproct
structure in ciliates where waste from food vacuoles is emptied into external environment
Contractile vacuole
structure in ciliates that aggregate/dispose of water, waste from cytoplasm, osmoregulation(water/ion balance); Focused on homeostasis in cell; Look like suns/stars; Center/circular shape shows increase/decrease in size with disposal of water
macronucleus
structure in cilitates associated with metabolism/homeostasis, maintenance of consistent/balanced conditions in cell; Critical; if not effective, could swell to burst; waste building up can build toxicity
micronucleus
structure in ciliates that allows sexual reproduction(conjugation to occur)
Conjugation
process in cilitates made possible with micronucleus, bring sexual and asexual reproduction to be connected together
Brings genetic diversity into population
Process of Reproduction for Ciliates
uses combination of conjugation in sexual reproduction alongside binary fission in asexual reproduction to create genetic diversity
binary fission creates duplicates in population, with conjugation allowing exchange of genetics to create diversity
Euglenozoa
NEITHER AMEBOID OR CILIATE
unicellular, has flagellum, can be photoautotrophs or chemoorganoheterotrophs
Photoautotrophic Euglenozoa
Packed with chloroplasts, organelles that aid in photosynthesis(getting energy/carbon); Have specialized organelles responsible for different physiological cellular processes, including chloroplasts; Common in natural environments, where they can “bloom”: increase dramatically in abundance like phytoplankton
Examples of photoautotrophic euglenozoa
Euglena viridis(blooms water green) and Euglena sanguinea(blooms water red, but NOT RED TIDE)
Chemoorganoheterotroph Euglenozoa
Scavengers: consume bacteria and dead organic matter for their energy and carbon needs; Pathogens
3 Examples of Chemoorganoheterotroph Euglenozoa
Trypanosomiasis(including trypanosoma brucei and trypanosoma cruzi) and Leishmaniasis
Trypanosoma brucei
cause African sleeping sickness; devastating disease, significant problem; affects nervous system; leads to cardiac/kidney failure, death
Treatable but moves quickly; Can come from Tsetse fly; Can happen through saliva of fly or from their defecation left on skin; Can even have variability (most wiped out through medication, but small few can be left behind)
Trypanosoma cruzi
chagas disease, Found in central/South America; recent cases in southern US; effects cardiac/intestinal systems; Passed by Kissing Bug, Passes through Bites and/or feces
Bug is host for this parasite(carrier, not affected); Bite has saliva to numb area of bite so they go unnoticed
Description of Malaria
Disease caused by protists in Phylum Apicomplexa, NOT EUGLENOZOA; In Genus Plasmodium (multiple species)
Disease passed to humans through bites from mosquitos (Anopheles genus) in saliva; gets into blood, where it infects red blood cells; Leads to multiple organ failure, high mortality without treatment
What is the significant issue with Malaria today?
Top killer in the world historically, Now 200-250 million cases per year globally; Approx. 5 million deaths per year, 75% are children under 5 years old(**Many in Africa)
Increasing resistance of malarial parasites to treatment, lots of research into new medications to treat it
Malaria in North America
No longer found in North America; Used to be common, even in Ohio (Great Black Swamp Toledo); Accomplished by killing mosquitos and draining wetlands(breeding habitat of mosquitos), Accomplished using medications
The Goal of Studies towards Malaria
Gone by 2040, Focus on innovative technologies(Genetic engineering of them, Vaccines, New medications to reduce effects); Long-lasting Insecticidal Nets: soaked in insecticide that will attach to and kill mosquitos; greatly reduced prevalence of malaria in many communities
Focus on new medications/vaccine/genetic approaches to make mosquitos sterile
