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BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION-Monera, Protista, Fungi

Classification Earliest scientific classification. Hence, he is called as Father of Biology &
by Aristotle Father of zoology. (Father of Botany – Theophrastus)
Problem in this classification- he only saw morphological characteristics
(outside features that we can see with our eyes).
He classified plants into 3 types- Trees, shrubs, herbs.
Animals were classified into 2 types- Animals who have Red Blood Cells
and those who do not.
Linnaeus Plantae kingdom and Animalia kingdom.
time- Two Limitation- where to put saprophytic Mushroom? (Saprophytic-
kingdom Feeding, absorbing or growing upon decaying organic matter)
classification [Link] differentiation between Eukaryotic and prokaryotic.
Eukaryotic- proper nucleus (EU- true, krayon- nucleus), e.g. human
Prokaryotic- True nucleus not present. Lacks nuclear [Link]
Bacterium.
[Link] differentiation between unicellular and multicellular.
[Link] or non-photosynthetic.
Five kingdom
classifications:
By R. H.
Whittaker.
(1969)

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• Kingdom Monera
Kingdom Has bacteria as a sole member and they are found almost everywhere. They
Monera can be Photosynthetic autotrophs, Chemosynthetic autotrophs or
Heterotrophs.

Bacteria types- Archaebacteria and Eubacteria

Archaebacteria Eubacteria
Halophiles (salt-loving) Photosynthetic autotrophs like
Cyanobacteria. Some like Anabaena have
Thermoacidophiles (in hot specialized cells called heterocyst for
springs) nitrogen fixation.
cell wall is rigid. If motile- use of
Methanogens (in marsh and in flagellum, Cyanobacteria- unicellular,
gut of colonial (filamentous)…form bloom in
ruminant animals. Produce polluted water
methane gas.) • Chemosynthetic autotrophs: Oxidize
various inorganic substances like
nitrates/nitrites, ammonia and use
released energy for their ATP
production.
• Heterotrophic bacteria: most abundant.
Decomposes, help in making curd,
production of antibiotics, N2 fixation,
cause diseases like cholera, typhoid.
tetanus, citrus canker.
The cyanobacteria (also referred to as blue-green algae) have chlorophyll a
similar to green plants and are photosynthetic autotrophs.
Cyanobacteria-
Some cyanobacteria have the ability to fix
atmospheric nitrogen. The green manuring
by farmers is done on this basis to enrich the
soil with nitrogenous fertilizers.
Spirulina is a protein rich supplement for
humans. It is a fast-growing cyanobacteria. It
is also known as Single Cell Protein (SCP).

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-Bacteria plays important role in recycling- nitrogen, phosphorous, iron,

Sulphur.
• Reproduction of bacteria-
Asexual- mainly fission, make spores in unfavorable conditions which will
make new bacteria in favorable condition.
Kind of sexual reproduction- ‘bacteriophage’ (a virus which parasitizes a
bacterium by infecting it and reproducing inside it)
• Mycoplasma- Completely lack cell wall. Smallest living cells. Can survive
without oxygen. Pathogenic in animals and plants.

• Kingdom Protista
• Characteristics- single celled, eukaryotes, mostly aquatic, some flagella/cilia- for movement,
reproduction- can be done asexually, but sexual reproduction can happen (cell fusion-
zygote).Forms a link between plants, animals and fungi.

Chrysophytes can occur in fresh as well as marine water, microscopic, float on

water(plankton), mostly photosynthetic. Has diatoms and golden
algae. Diatoms- chief producer in oceans. Cell walls have silica and
cell walls overlap to fit together like a soap box.
Their accumulation forms ‘Diatomaceous Earth’. Used in polishing,
filtration of oils and syrups.

Dinoflagellates Marine, photosynthetic, cell wall has cellulose, various colors

(pigments).

Two flagella − one longitudinal and other transversely in a furrow

between wall plates.

Important organism that plays main role in causing red tide-

Gonyaulax.

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Euglenoids majority lives in stagnant fresh water. Pigment- identical to higher

plant.
Have protein rich layer ‘pellicle’ which makes body flexible.
Photosynthetic in presence of sunlight but become heterotrophs if
they do not get sunlight.
Slime Moulds engulfs organic material. Saprophytic protists. Form aggregates to
form plasmodium grows on decaying twigs and leaves. Suitable
condition- aggregation (plasmodium), unsuitable condition-spores
(air currents). Spores have true walls which are extremely resistant
and survive for many years.
Protozoans heterotrophs, mostly parasites, close to animals.
Amoeboid: Catch prey using pseudopodia, e.g., Amoeba.
Flagellated: More flagella. Cause disease like sleeping
sickness e.g., Trypanosoma.
Ciliated: Have cilia to move food into gullet and help in
locomotion. e.g., Paramecium.
Sporozoans: Have infective spore like stage in life cycle,
e.g., Plasmodium which causes Malaria.

• Kingdom fungi
Kingdom Fungi Cell wall of chitin and polysaccharides
Grow in warm and humid places
All are heterotrophs.
• Types of heterotrophs-
[Link]-on dead substrates.
[Link]- on living [Link] black fungus.
[Link]- symbiotic [Link] Lichen- symbiosis with algae.
Mycorrhiza- symbiosis with root if plant.
No. of cells- yeast(unicellular) rest are filamentous. Yeast used in bread
and beer.
Hypha is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus.
Aggregation of Hyphae is called as Mycelium.

e.g., Puccinia (rust causing), Penicillium, Common mushroom- Toad

stools.

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• Reproduction in fungi-
[Link]- fragmentation, fission, budding.
[Link]- spores (conidia, sporangiospores, zoospores)

• Classes of fungi-
Phycomycetes grow on decaying wood
parasite- obligate
motile- Zoospores, Aplanospores-non motile
e.g., Rhizopus (bread mould), Albugo (mustard
parasite)
Ascomycetes Also known as ‘sac fungi’
can be unicellular (Yeast) or multicellular
(penicillium).
They are saprophytic, decomposer, parasitic or
coprophilous
E.g.- Morels and truffles. Aspergillus, Neurospora.
Basidiomycetes what comes under it? mushroom, Bracket fungi
(puffballs).
Can be on soil, logs, tree stump.
Can be parasitic on plants- causes rust
(Puccinia)/smut disease (Ustilago).
e.g., Agaricus, Ustilago.
Deuteromycetes Called as ‘Fungi Imperfecti’ as sexual form (perfect
stage) is not known for [Link] saprophytic,
parasitic or decomposers. e.g., Alternaria,
Colletotrichum. [Link]- Trichoderma

Triclosan - antibacterial and antifungal.

Triclocarbans- banned.
NOTE- Intro of Kingdom Plantae & Kingdom Animalia were taken in lecture. However, these
will be comprehensively covered in next lectures.

Viruses, Viroids, Prions & Lichens

Viruses, Viroids, Prions - acellular or non-cellular.

Viruses They did not find a place in classification. Take over the machinery of host cell
on entering it but as such they have inert crystalline structure. So, difficult to
call them living or non-living.
• D. J. Ivanowsky found out that certain microbes caused Tobacco Mosaic
Disease in tobacco plant.
• M. W. Beijerinek called fluid as ‘Contagium vivum fluidum’ as extracts of
infected plants of tobacco could cause infection in healthy plants.

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• W. M. Stanely showed viruses could be crystallized to form crystals of

protein which are inert outside their specific host.
Diseases caused: Mumps, Small pox, AIDS etc
Structure of Virus:
• Its a nucleoprotein made up of protein called Capsid. Capsid is made up
of capsomeres arranged in halical or polygeometric forms. Have either DNA
or RNA as genetic material which may be single or double stranded.
• Usually, plant viruses have single stranded RNA; bacteriophages have
double stranded DNA and animal viruses have single or double stranded
RNA or double stranded DNA.
Viroids • Discovered by T. O. Diener.
• Infectious agent, free RNA (lack protein coat)
• RNA has low molecular weight.
• Causes potato spindle tuber disease.
Prions Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow
disease. BSE is thought to be due to an infection by a misfolded protein,
known as a prion.
Lichens Symbiotic association between algal component (Phycobiont)
and fungal component (mycobiont). Algae provide food. Fungi
provide shelter and absorb nutrients for alga.
• Good pollution indicators as they do not grow in polluted areas.

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