SLIME MOLDSSLIME MOLDS

By: Andrew VealBy: Andrew Veal

KEY FEATURESKEY FEATURES• TWO TYPES-TWO TYPES-

– Plasmodial slime molds which have numerous individual Plasmodial slime molds which have numerous individual cells attached to each other, forming one large membrane.cells attached to each other, forming one large membrane.

– Cellular slime molds which spend most of their lives as Cellular slime molds which spend most of their lives as individual unicellular protests. A chemical signal is secreted individual unicellular protests. A chemical signal is secreted that causes them to combine into a cluster that acts as a that causes them to combine into a cluster that acts as a single organism. single organism.

• Slime molds are composed of an acellular mass of Slime molds are composed of an acellular mass of naked protoplasm (the living contents of a cell that naked protoplasm (the living contents of a cell that are surrounded by a plasma membrane) with no cell are surrounded by a plasma membrane) with no cell walls in its vegetative state.walls in its vegetative state.

• For a long time slime molds were classified in the For a long time slime molds were classified in the Myxomycophyta as part of Fungi. Now we know that Myxomycophyta as part of Fungi. Now we know that they are very unrelated.they are very unrelated.

INTERESTING FACTSINTERESTING FACTS

• Can reach up to thirty square meters!

• In plasmodial slime molds the millions of nuclei in a single plasmodium all divide at the same time. This makes slime molds ideal for studying mitosis.

• Their name comes from a part of their life cycle in where they appear to look like slime.

LIFE CYCLELIFE CYCLE

SIGNIFIGANCESIGNIFIGANCE

MITOSIS!

PLANET EARTH ACTION!