Slime mould

Slime mould is a broad term describing several kinds of organisms that use spores to reproduce. Slime moulds were formerly classified as fungi but are no longer considered part of this kingdom. Their common name refers to part of some of these organisms' life cycles where they can appear as gelatinous "slime". This is mostly seen with the myxogastria, which are the only macroscopic slime moulds.

Classification

Slime moulds are divided among several superkingdoms, with about 900 species described. They are classified in the Eukaryote superkingdom. The three groups of slime moulds are myxogastria, dictyosteliida, and protosteliida.

Life cycle

The life cycle of a slime mould mainly consists of four stages: spore, amoeba, plasmodium, and fruiting body. The spore stage is the dormant stage. When conditions are right, the spore germinates and releases an amoeba. The amoeba feeds and grows, and eventually transforms into a plasmodium. The plasmodium is a large, single-celled, multinucleate, and shape-shifting mass. It moves and feeds by phagocytosis, engulfing bacteria, yeast, and fungal spores. When the food supply wanes, the plasmodium transforms into a fruiting body, which produces and releases spores.

Research and uses

Slime moulds are used in research for studying cell biology, evolution, and the development of complex shapes and patterns. They are also used in art projects because of their ability to create visually striking patterns.

See also

• Myxogastria
• Dictyosteliida
• Protosteliida
• Eukaryote
• Phagocytosis