Everything about Microbial Cyst totally explained
A
microbial cyst is a resting or
dormant stage of a microorganism, usually a
bacterium or a
protist, that helps the organism to tide over unfavorable environmental conditions. It can be thought of as a state of
suspended animation in which the
metabolic processes of the cell are slowed down and the cell ceases all activities like feeding and locomotion.
Encystment also helps the microbe to disperse easily, from one
host to another or to a more favorable environment. When the encysted microbe reaches an environment favorable to its growth and survival, the cyst wall breaks down by a process known as
excystation.
Unfavorable environmental conditions such as lack of nutrients or oxygen, extreme temperatures, lack of moisture and presence of toxic chemicals, which are not conducive for the growth of the microbe trigger the formation of a cyst.
Cyst formation in bacteria
In bacteria (for instance,
Azotobacter sp.), encystment occurs by changes in the
cell wall; the
cytoplasm contracts and the cell wall thickens. Bacterial cysts differ from
endospores in the way they're formed and also the degree of resistance to unfavorable conditions. Endospores are much more resistant than cysts.
Cyst formation in protists
Protists, especially
protozoan parasites, are often exposed to very harsh conditions at various stages in their life cycle. For example,
Entamoeba histolytica, a common intestinal parasite that causes
dysentery, has to endure the highly acidic environment of the stomach before it reaches the intestine and various unpredictable conditions like
desiccation and lack of nutrients while it's outside the host. An encysted form is well suited to survive such extreme conditions, although protozoan cysts are less resistant to adverse conditions compared to bacterial cysts. and thus causing its elimination in the feces. Other protozoan intestinal parasites like
Giardia lamblia and
Cryptosporidium also produce cysts as part of their life cycle. In some protozoans, the unicellular organism multiplies during or after encystment and releases multiple
trophozoites upon excystation.
Composition of the cyst wall
The composition of the cyst wall is variable in different organisms. The cyst walls of bacteria are formed by the thickening of the normal cell wall with added
peptidoglycan layers whereas the walls of protozoan cysts are made of
chitin,
a type of
glycoprotein.
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