Sporulation is the production and release of spores for asexual reproduction .
Sporulation is the production of spores . A spore, for its part, can be a cell formed from the division of a sporozoan protozoan .
The term also refers to the plant cell that, after separating from a plant , begins to divide until the constitution of a new specimen. In the case of bacteria , sporulation is called a resource to survive in an environment that is harmful to them .
asexual reproduction
Sporulation is a form of asexual reproduction . This process can be triggered as part of the life cycle or in adverse situations, such as lack of light or nutrients .
Through sporulation, in short, spores are generated. These structures have a single cell , which is protected with a highly resistant envelope.
fungal sporulation
Fungal sporulation begins with the duplication of DNA through mitosis , a process that takes place in the cell nucleus and divides the cell immediately, giving each half the same amount of DNA. The next step is the formation of the spore septum (a wall that divides two cavities) and the isolation of the newly replicated DNA with a scarce part of cytoplasm.
Then, the DNA , the isolated membrane and the cytoplasm are surrounded by the plasma membrane . The forespore is formed when the septum covers the isolated portion, and a layer of peptidoglycan also appears in the form of a refractory body between one membrane and another. The exterior of the spore becomes more resistant thanks to the appearance of a layer that protects it.
The point of sporulation arrives, at which point the endospore, a non-reproductive cell, is released through a process in which it ruptures the cell membrane to allow its exit. Throughout this last step, the spore changes shape due to a series of physical and chemical alterations in its structure.
We can say that sporulation in fungi is a process they use to reproduce asexually through cellular differentiation , generating and expelling spores into the environment. The same can be observed in lichens , amoebas, sporophytic protozoa and some bacteria.
Sporulation in plants
Although not all plants can use sporulation for their reproductive process, some of those that do have regions specialized in the generation of spores, the so-called sporangia , which are found on the underside of the leaf .
These species can also reproduce sexually, and use both techniques alternately. To form spores they take advantage of the genetic material; Once they have prepared them, they release them into the environment so that they can develop and give rise to the birth of new individuals.
In this framework we can differentiate ferns from bryophytes:
- Ferns are one of the oldest vascular plants. They have the aforementioned sporangia to produce spores. They are capable of generating megaspores that can begin the sporulation process again;
- Bryophytes are non-vascular plants. They generate many spores, which germinate and produce gametophytes. From these, gametes emerge, which can unite to return to the initial phase.
The fern generates spores on the underside of its leaf.
Sporulation in bacteria
Bacteria , finally, resort to sporulation to produce spores that allow them to survive chemical agents, radiation, heat and other factors.
The objective is for the bacterial spores to wait for the environmental conditions to recover the conditions necessary for the survival of the bacteria. Generally, this process begins when they run out of nutrients and there is an increase in their cell density.