Prototheca wickerhamii

Organismal description

Taxonomy :

Eucaryotae; Chlorophyta; Chlorococcales; Prototheca, Prototheca wickerhamii.

Phenotype :

Unicellular, round, colorless "green" alga without flagella, resembling yeast.

Ecology :

Lives in the soil, digesting organic matter. One Prototheca species is a pathogen in humans and animals, causing systemic or subcutaneous infections called "protothecosis".

Ultrastructure:

Mitochondria are of the flattened christae type.