Lab Exam: Exercises 7 - 11 Classifying Organisms

Cyanobacteria Taxonomy

Domain: Bacteria

Kingdom: NONE

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Genus: Oscillatoria, Nostoc, Anabaena, Spirulina

Cyanobacteria

• Blue green

• Gram-negative bacteria with a thick outer membrane

• Gliding motility (No flagella)

• Ecological producers: Fix carbon - Take in CO2 from the environment and convert it to a carbohydrate; Fix nitrogen - Take N2 gas from the air and convert it into NH3 (Ammonia)

Trichome

Chain of cyanobacteria cells that share resources; Division of labor among them

Heterocyst

Larger cell within a trichome that fixes N2; does not photosynthesize; shares NH3 with the rest of the cells

Akinete

Used for survival; “ Resting spore”; Not tough like an endospore, but can survive a little longer than other cells in the Trichome.

Non-optimal conditions, and it is the last cell standing and then conditions improve —> it can do binary fission to re-create the Trichome.

Anabaena

Domain: Bacteria

Kingdom: NONE

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Genus: Anabaena

Nostoc

Domain: Bacteria

Kingdom: NONE

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Genus: Nostoc

More square looking than Anabaena; you will always see a pink glycocalyx; found in swamps

Spirulina

Domain: Bacteria

Kingdom: NONE

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Genus: Spirulina

Can buy in pills as a supplement; NASA grows it for food and nutrition

Oscillatoria

Domain: Bacteria

Kingdom: NONE

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Genus: Oscillatoria

Mycology

Study of fungi

Fungi

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Characteristics of Fungal Cells

• Cell walls made of chitin

• Chemoheterotrophs - they get their carbon and energy from organic compounds

• Most reproduce sexually and asexually

• Most free-living decomposers, but some are pathogens

Mycosis

Disease caused by a fungus living on or in you (fungal infection)

Mycotoxicosis

Disease caused by a toxin produced by a fungus

Fungal “Body Types”

Yeast - single-celled fungi

Filamentous - multi-celled fungi (“fleshy fungi”; mushrooms; molds)

Hyphae

Multi-celled filaments

Septate hyphae vs. aseptate hyphae

Mycelium

Visible mass of hyphae

Dimorphic

Is a yeast in some environments but is filamentous in other environments

Yeast Reproduction

Asexual (1 parent) - offspring is genetically identical to parent

Process - budding

Sexual (2 parents) - offspring is genetically different than either parent

Process - uses sexual spores

Filamentous Fungi Reproduction

Asexual (1 parent) - offspring is genetically identical to parent

Process - Uses asexual spores

Sexual (2 parents) - Offspring is Genetically different than either parent

Process - Uses sexual spores

Albugo bliti

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Phylum: Oomycota

Genus: Albugo

Species: bliti

Plant pathogen; “white rust”

Asexual spores/spore-containing structure: Sporangiospores/ Sporangium

Sexual spores/spore-containing structure: Oospores/ Oogonium

Rhizopus stolonifer

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Phylum: Zygomycota

Genus: Rhizopus

Species: stolonifer

Decomposer - doesn’t cause a disease

“Bread mold”

Asexual spores/structure-containing spores: Sporangiospores/ Sporangium

Sexual spores/structure-containing spores: Zygospores/ Zygosporangium

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Phylum: Ascomycota

Genus: Saccharomyces

Species: cerevisiae

Decomposer- not a pathogen

No sexual form

Brewing and bread yeast

Asexual - budding

Penicillium chrysogenum

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Phylum: Ascomycota

Genus: Penicillium

Species: chrysogenum

Decomposer - not a pathogen

Asexual spores: Conidiospores

Sexual spores/structure-containing spores:

Ascospores/ Ascus

Looks “hairy” in the microscope

Aspergillus niger

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Phylum: Ascomycota

Genus: Aspergillus

Species: niger

Decomposer and pathogen to humans/animals - causes a mycotoxicosis by making Aflatoxin which leads to cancer

“Black mold”

Asexual spores: Conidiospores

Sexual spores/ structure containing spores: Ascospores/ Ascus

Doesn’t look “hairy” under microscope

Claviceps purpurea

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Fungi

Phylum: Ascomycota

Genus: Claviceps

Species: purpurea

Pathogen

Mycosis in plants (grains from wheat) - ergot

If animals ingest they get mycotoxicosis - ergotism “St. Anthony’s Fire”

Sexual spores/ structure-containing spores: Ascospores/ Ascus

Algae & Protozoa

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Chlorophyta; Bacillariophyta; Dinophyta; Archaezoa; Amoebozoa; Apicomplexa; Euglenozoa; Ciliophora

Phycology

The study of algae

Characteristics of algae

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Cell walls - composition varies the species (Cellulose, agar, glass, pectin etc.)

Chloroplasts

Photoautotrophs

Some unicellular/ some multicellular

Live in aquatic habitats

Desmids (common name)

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Cell walls made of cellulose & pectin

Aquatic organisms (some freshwater some marine)

Shapes: bow tie; mushroom (2 symmetrical halves); long ones too

Diatoms ( common name)

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Bacillariophyta

Cell walls made of glass = silica dioxide

Aquatic organisms (Some freshwater, some marine)

Diatomaceous earth: Sedimentary rock formed by dead diatoms

Used as insecticides; abrasive in toothpastes, polish, cleaners; Filtration: water, beer, wine; Dynamite: ingredient used to stabilize nitroglycerin

Ceratium

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Dinophyta

Genus: Ceratium

Cell walls made of cellulose

Mostly marine organisms with many being bioluminescent

Common name “dinoflagellates”

Harmless for most however some produce Neurotoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning; Saxitoxin Is the pathogen made by Dinophyta Causing paralysis and death; “ Red tide”

Protozoa

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Single- celled eukaryotes

Chemoautotrophs

Holozoic: eat whole organisms (phagocytosis)

Most free living but some are pathogens

Many use flagella, pseudopodia, or cilia for motility

Giardia lamblia

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Archaezoa

Genus: Giardia

Species: lamblia

Causes diarrheal disease

Lack mitochondria and must live in an animal host

Two structural forms:

Trophozoite - active growth and disease “tear drop shape w/ flagella”; dies easier

Cyst - dormant form that survives more

Trichomonas vaginalis

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Archaezoa

Genus: Trichomonas

Species: vaginalis

Causes sexually transmitted disease/infection

Lacks mitochondria and must live in an animal host

Amoeba proteus

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Amoebozoa

Genus: Amoeba

Species: proteus

Aquatic organisms

Harmless

Contains pseudopodia

Plasmodium vivax

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Apicomplexa

Genus: Plasmodium

Species: vivax

“Ring form” inside of red blood cells causes malaria

Blood-Bourne pathogen

There are 4 separate species that can cause malaria and are spread by 60 different species of Anopheles mosquito (biological vector)

Malaria is an endemic to more than 90 nations

Anti-malarial drugs are used to treat/ given to travelers

1st malaria vaccine introduced in Africa in 2022

Very effective when used in combo with prophylactic anti-malarial drugs

*Study cycle*

Plasmodium Life Cycle

1. Infected mosquito bites human depositing plasmodium where it migrates through the bloodstream to the liver of the human

2. Released into bloodstream from liver may infect new red blood cells

3. Develops into ring stage in red blood cells

4. Ring stage grows and divides

   *Asexual Reproduction in humans as the Intermediate host*

5. Plasmodium are released when red blood cell ruptures; Some plasmodium, infects, new red blood cells, and some develop into male and female forms of parasite

6. Another mosquito bites, the infected human and ingests the male and female forms of the parasite

7. In mosquitoes, digestive, track, male and female plasmodium unite to form a zygote

   *Sexual Reproduction in mosquitoes where they are the definitive host*

8. Resulting plasmodium that are now genetically different migrate to salivary glands of mosquito

   *Cycle is complete when this Infected mosquito bites a human*

Plasmodium → malaria symptoms

Begins with: headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting

Recurring Eurythrocytic cycles (every 48 hrs) of high fever, chills, sweating, exhaustion

Cycles can stay mild and eventually stop or progressed to severe attacks, which can be fatal

Additional symptoms, and severity of the disease depend upon which species of Plasmodium is infecting

Plasmodium → malaria treatment

Diagnosis: microscopy

Most traditional treatment is Quinine an extract of tree bark used since the 1600s; glows in the dark; prevents parasite from digesting hemoglobin

Trypanosoma cruzi/ brucei

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Euglenozoa

Genus: Trypanosoma

Species: cruzi & brucei

Pathogen

Transmitted by biological vectors; Reservoirs: Tigers, elephants, etc.

Seen outside of red blood cells

Purple looking banana parasite about 3 red blood cells long

T. cruzi causes Chaga’s disease (kissing bug) - symptoms- Myocarditis and congestive heart failure

T. brucei causes African sleeping sickness from the (tsetse fly) - symptoms- headache, drowsiness,, and death

Paramecium caudatum

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Protista

Phylum: Ciliophora

Genus: Paramecium

Species: caudatum

Harmless

For the exam expect purple cells with no visible cilia

Multicellular Parasites

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Platyhelminthes

Class: Trematoda

Class: Cestoda

Phylum: Nematoda

Phylum: Arthropoda

General characteristics of Parasitic Helminths

Chemoheterotrophs

Most found in phyla Platyhelminthes and Nematoda

Highly adapted to life in an animal

1. Poorly developed digestive system (It lives in a host surrounded by nutrition)

2. Poorly developed muscular and nervous system systems (Lives in a host no need to hunt for food)

3. Complex, reproductive system (Offspring must find new host → Numerous offspring, complex life cycle)

General life cycle of Parasitic Helminths

Larvae stage:

• developmental stage (asexual reproduction)

• Occurs in one or more intermediate hosts

• Very numerous (Can be more than one larval stage)

  Adult stage:

• Mature, sexually reproductive stage

• Occurs in the definitive host

• Can be monoecious (Male and female sexual structures in one animal) or dioecious (Male animals and female animals)

• Produce enormous numbers of offspring (Especially monoecious organisms)

Helmnith Life Cycle - why have 2 or more hosts

Adult and offspring occupied separate habitats

• Less competition for resources

• Less damage to host

• Population dispersed throughout environment → Better chance of species survival

  they cause long-term chronic infection

Characteristics of Platyhelminthes

• Multi celled eukaryotes, no cell wall

• Simple flatworms - Lack nervous system and intestines

  Class: Trematoda “Flukes”

• Leaf shaped flat worms

• Several larval stages

Schistosoma haematobium (blood fluke)

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Platyhelminthes

Class: Trematoda

Genus: Schistosoma

Species: haematobium

• Male & female worms

multiple larval stages: miricidium → redia → cercaria → adults

• Intermediate and definitive hosts

Chronic infection of blood fluke (causes Shistosomiasis - Bilharzia) → inflammation response to eggs

• symptoms: Anemia, fatigue, damage to liver, kidneys, blood vessels, blood in the urine

Schistosoma Life Cycle

*Sexual Reproduction in human as difinitive host*

1. Adult flukes lay eggs inside infected human in the blood vessels around the bladder

2. Human urinates/deficates in a body of water which releases eggs of this parasite into the water

3. Eggs hatch into free-swimming larvae (miricidium)

   *Miricidium - Young larval form that enters snail and have cilia on them*

4. Miricidium penetrates a snail

   *Asexual Reproduction in the snail that acts as the intermediate host where the miricidium produces redia which is the larval sac stage inside the snail*

5. The redia matures inside of the snail producing several cercariae which are the larval stage that leaves the snail and burrows into skin

6. Cercariae are released from the snail

7. Free-swimming cercariae penetrate human skin, losing its tail

8. Cercariae Travel through circulatory system to intestinal blood vessels, where they mature into adults where females will lay hundreds of eggs per day

Taenia pisiformis

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Platyhelminthes

Class: Cestoda

Genus: Taenia

Species: pisiformis

Causes Tapeworm disease

Structures:

• scolex - attachment or with hooks and suckers

• proglattid - Infectious segment of tapeworm (Sexually reproductive)

Characteristics of Nematoda

Multi cell eukaryotes, no cell wall

Round worms, with intestines and nervous system; Digestive track, but simple muscle and nervous system

Dirofilaria immitis

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Nematoda

Genus: Dirofilaria

Species: immitis

Spread by mosquitoes

Huge worm seen outside of red blood cells

Disease caused is canine heartworm

Necator americanus

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Nematoda

Genus: Necator

Species: americanus

Causes “Hookworm” disease

• Adult lives in small intestine

• Infectious larvae burrows in skin

Characteristics of Arthropoda

Multicellular eukaryotes, no cell wall

Have jointed feet

Dermacentor andersoni

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Genus: Dermacentor

Species: andersoni

Ectoparasite

Dermacentor andersoni Is the vector for bacterial pathogen Rickettsia rickettsii causing the disease “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever”

Ixodes dammini

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Genus: Ixodes

Species: dammini

Ectoparasite

Ixodes dammini Is the vector for the bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi which causes Lyme disease

Sarcoptes scabiei

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Genus: Sarcoptes

Species: scabiei

Ectoparasite

Causes Scabies disease

• burrows under skin/ itchy

Pediculus humanus capitus

Domain: Eukarya

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Genus: Pediculus

Species: humanus capitus

Ectoparasite

Nits = lice eggs

Causes “head lice” disease