variety of living organisms

• What are the five major groups of living organisms?

  Plants, animals, fungi, protoctists, bacteria
• What are the main characteristics of plants?

  • Multicellular organisms
  • Cells contain chloroplasts
  • Carry out photosynthesis
  • Have cell walls made of cellulose
• What distinguishes animals from plants?

  • Animals are multicellular
  • Lack chloroplasts
  • Cannot photosynthesize
  • Gain nutrition by feeding
• What are the main characteristics of fungi?

  • Include mushrooms, toadstools, and moulds
  • Multicellular and unicellular (yeasts)
  • Cannot photosynthesize
  • Have cell walls not made of cellulose
• What is saprotrophic nutrition?

  Feeding on dead organic material
• What are extracellular enzymes?

  Enzymes secreted out of cells
• What are protoctists and their characteristics?

  • Mixed group of organisms
  • Microscopic and single-celled
  • Some resemble animal cells (protozoa)
  • Some have chloroplasts (algae)
• What is an example of a protoctist that causes disease?

  Plasmodium
• What distinguishes eukaryotic organisms from prokaryotic organisms?

  • Eukaryotic: have a nucleus
  • Prokaryotic: no nucleus
  • Eukaryotic cells have membrane-bound organelles
• What are bacteria?

  Small single-celled organisms
• What are the main features of eukaryotic cells?

  • Contain a nucleus
  • Membrane-bound organelles
  • More complex structure than prokaryotic cells