What is the Mode of Nutrition in Fungi and Plasmodium?
February 28, 2023 | by Yashaswi Pathakamuri | Posted in FAQ's
Fungi are heterotrophic organisms that obtain their nutrients through absorption, while Plasmodium is a parasitic organism that feeds on the hemoglobin of its host organism. Both organisms have evolved unique modes of nutrition to survive in their respective environments.
Fungi and Plasmodium have different modes of nutrition:
- Nutrition in fungi: Fungi are heterotrophic organisms, meaning they cannot produce their own food and must obtain nutrients from external sources. They obtain their nutrition through absorption, in which they secrete enzymes to break down complex organic compounds in their surroundings, and then absorb the simpler molecules. Fungi can absorb nutrients from a wide variety of sources, including dead organic matter, living organisms (such as plants and animals), and even other fungi.
- Nutrition in Plasmodium: Plasmodium is a parasitic organism that causes malaria. Plasmodium is also a heterotroph, meaning it obtains its nutrients from external sources. Plasmodium feeds on the hemoglobin in red blood cells, breaking it down to obtain amino acids and other essential nutrients. Plasmodium cannot produce its own food and depends entirely on its host organism for survival.