Introduction: Protista MCQs With Answer offer B. Pharm students a focused review of the salient features of Protista, covering protozoa, algal forms, life cycles, morphology, reproduction, clinical relevance and antiprotozoal drug targets. This concise, keyword-rich guide explains cell structure (pseudopodia, cilia, flagella, pellicle), nutrition modes, parasitism, encystment, and medically important genera such as Plasmodium, Entamoeba, Giardia and Trypanosoma. Emphasis on diagnostics, pathogenesis and pharmacological implications helps pharmacy students link basic protist biology to therapeutic strategies. Clear MCQs reinforce retention and exam readiness. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. Which statement best describes the general characteristics of organisms in Kingdom Protista?
- Mostly unicellular eukaryotes with some simple multicellular forms
- Multicellular eukaryotes with complex tissues
- Prokaryotic organisms lacking membrane-bound organelles
- Obligate intracellular bacteria
Correct Answer: Mostly unicellular eukaryotes with some simple multicellular forms
Q2. Which locomotory organelle is primarily used by Amoeba for movement?
- Cilia
- Flagella
- Pseudopodia
- Gliding
Correct Answer: Pseudopodia
Q3. The contractile vacuole in many freshwater protists functions mainly for:
- Digesting food particles
- Osmoregulation and expelling excess water
- Protein synthesis
- Attachment to host tissues
Correct Answer: Osmoregulation and expelling excess water
Q4. Which protist is the causative agent of malaria?
- Trypanosoma brucei
- Entamoeba histolytica
- Plasmodium spp.
- Giardia lamblia
Correct Answer: Plasmodium spp.
Q5. Which mode of nutrition is commonly seen in algal protists?
- Photoautotrophy
- Obligate parasitism
- Chemoautotrophy
- Predation only
Correct Answer: Photoautotrophy
Q6. Encystment in protozoa primarily aids in:
- Enhanced motility
- Transmission and survival in harsh conditions
- Sexual reproduction
- Photosynthesis
Correct Answer: Transmission and survival in harsh conditions
Q7. Which organelle is characteristic of ciliates like Paramecium?
- Pellicle
- Contractile vacuole only
- Cilia covering the cell surface
- Chloroplasts
Correct Answer: Cilia covering the cell surface
Q8. Antigenic variation is a survival mechanism prominently used by which protist?
- Entamoeba histolytica
- Trypanosoma brucei
- Giardia lamblia
- Plasmodium vivax
Correct Answer: Trypanosoma brucei
Q9. Which pigment is commonly found in green algal protists?
- Phycobilins
- Chlorophyll a and b
- Fucoxanthin
- Carotenoids only
Correct Answer: Chlorophyll a and b
Q10. Conjugation as a form of genetic exchange is characteristic of which group?
- Flagellates like Giardia
- Ciliates like Paramecium
- Amoeboid protists
- Diatoms
Correct Answer: Ciliates like Paramecium
Q11. The term ‘trophozoite’ refers to:
- The dormant cyst stage
- The motile, feeding stage of protozoa
- Sexual spore stage
- Resting algal spore
Correct Answer: The motile, feeding stage of protozoa
Q12. Which protist causes amoebic dysentery?
- Entamoeba histolytica
- Plasmodium falciparum
- Trichomonas vaginalis
- Leishmania donovani
Correct Answer: Entamoeba histolytica
Q13. Which drug is commonly used to treat giardiasis?
- Chloroquine
- Metronidazole
- Pyrimethamine
- Artemisinin
Correct Answer: Metronidazole
Q14. Which protist group is notable for silica cell walls and is important in aquatic ecosystems?
- Diatoms
- Dinoflagellates
- Green algae
- Slime molds
Correct Answer: Diatoms
Q15. Which transmission route is typical for Giardia lamblia infection?
- Vector-borne via mosquito
- Contaminated water and fecal-oral route
- Airborne droplets
- Sexual contact only
Correct Answer: Contaminated water and fecal-oral route
Q16. Which genus includes flagellated protozoa that cause African sleeping sickness?
- Plasmodium
- Trypanosoma
- Entamoeba
- Giardia
Correct Answer: Trypanosoma
Q17. The apical complex is a distinctive ultrastructural feature of which protozoan phylum?
- Sporozoa (Apicomplexa)
Correct Answer: Sporozoa (Apicomplexa)
Q18. Which stage of Plasmodium development occurs in the human liver?
- Gametocyte
- Merozoite only in RBCs
- Sporozoite to hepatic schizont stage
- Ookinete
Correct Answer: Sporozoite to hepatic schizont stage
Q19. Which feature differentiates protozoa from bacteria?
- Presence of membrane-bound organelles and nucleus
- Smaller cell size
- Lack of DNA
- Absence of metabolism
Correct Answer: Presence of membrane-bound organelles and nucleus
Q20. Dinoflagellate blooms that produce toxins causing shellfish poisoning are commonly called:
- Diatomaceous blooms
- Red tides
- Green tides
- Whitewater events
Correct Answer: Red tides
Q21. Which protozoan causes visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar)?
- Leishmania donovani
- Entamoeba histolytica
- Giardia lamblia
- Trichomonas vaginalis
Correct Answer: Leishmania donovani
Q22. Which structure in Plasmodium is responsible for invading red blood cells?
- Gametocyte
- Merozoite
- Trophozoite vacuole
- Ookinete
Correct Answer: Merozoite
Q23. Which laboratory staining technique is commonly used to detect malaria parasites in blood smears?
- Ziehl-Neelsen stain
- Giemsa stain
- Gram stain
- India ink
Correct Answer: Giemsa stain
Q24. Which antimalarial acts on heme detoxification in Plasmodium?
- Metronidazole
- Chloroquine
- Suramin
- Pentamidine
Correct Answer: Chloroquine
Q25. Which protist group is known for cellulose plates and two flagella causing red tides and bioluminescence?
- Dinoflagellates
- Diatoms
- Green algae
- Foraminifera
Correct Answer: Dinoflagellates
Q26. Which organelle often replaces mitochondria in anaerobic flagellates like Giardia?
- Hydrogenosomes and mitosomes (reduced mitochondria)
- Chloroplasts
- Peroxisomes only
- Complex Golgi-derived plastids
Correct Answer: Hydrogenosomes and mitosomes (reduced mitochondria)
Q27. Trypanosoma cruzi is primarily transmitted by which vector?
- Tsetse fly
- Kissing bug (Triatomine)
- Flea
- Sandfly
Correct Answer: Kissing bug (Triatomine)
Q28. Which protist reproductive process involves binary fission?
- Sexual fusion of gametes
- Vegetative asexual reproduction common in protozoa like Amoeba
- Sporulation via meiosis only
- Conjugation only
Correct Answer: Vegetative asexual reproduction common in protozoa like Amoeba
Q29. The term ‘pellicle’ in protists refers to:
- A rigid mineral shell only
- A flexible proteinaceous layer beneath the plasma membrane providing shape
- A type of food vacuole
- Flagellar root structure
Correct Answer: A flexible proteinaceous layer beneath the plasma membrane providing shape
Q30. Which diagnostic form of Entamoeba histolytica is typically found in stool and is infective?
- Trophozoite stage exclusively
- Cyst stage
- Gametocyte stage
- Merozoite
Correct Answer: Cyst stage
Q31. Which antiprotozoal drug is derived from the plant Artemisia annua and used against malaria?
- Quinine
- Pyrimethamine
- Artemisinin
- Metronidazole
Correct Answer: Artemisinin
Q32. Which group of protists includes organisms important in wastewater treatment and as bioindicators?
- Parasitic apicomplexans only
- Ciliates and flagellates in microbial communities
- Obligate anaerobic flagellates only
- Slime molds only
Correct Answer: Ciliates and flagellates in microbial communities
Q33. Which life cycle feature is characteristic of Plasmodium vivax relapse in humans?
- Hypnozoites—dormant liver stages causing relapse
- Persistent cysts in the intestine
- Encysted trophozoites in RBCs
- Free-living trophozoites in blood plasma
Correct Answer: Hypnozoites—dormant liver stages causing relapse
Q34. Which protist-derived products have pharmaceutical significance?
- Only toxins with no medicinal use
- Algal-derived polysaccharides, pigments and bioactive compounds
- Only vaccine antigens from ciliates
- No protist products are pharmaceutically relevant
Correct Answer: Algal-derived polysaccharides, pigments and bioactive compounds
Q35. For diagnosing intestinal protozoa, which technique improves detection of cysts in stool?
- Wet mount without concentration
- Concentration techniques (formal-ether sedimentation) and staining
- Gram staining of stool
- Culture on nutrient agar
Correct Answer: Concentration techniques (formal-ether sedimentation) and staining
Q36. Which protist causes sexually transmitted infection that can lead to vaginitis?
- Trichomonas vaginalis
- Plasmodium falciparum
- Giardia lamblia
- Entamoeba histolytica
Correct Answer: Trichomonas vaginalis
Q37. The primary reservoir host for Leishmania species causing visceral leishmaniasis is often:
- Humans only
- Rodents, dogs and other mammals
- Freshwater snails
- Birds exclusively
Correct Answer: Rodents, dogs and other mammals
Q38. Which cellular structure enables Paramecium to regulate water balance?
- Food vacuole
- Contractile vacuole
- Pellicle
- Trichocyst
Correct Answer: Contractile vacuole
Q39. Which assay or method is used in the laboratory to culture some free-living protists for study?
- Nutrient agar plate for all protists
- Axenic liquid culture media and xenic cultures with bacteria or tissue culture
- Standard blood culture bottles only
- Anaerobic jar for all protists
Correct Answer: Axenic liquid culture media and xenic cultures with bacteria or tissue culture
Q40. Which feature distinguishes Apicomplexa from other protists?
- Presence of flagella for motility in all stages
- Apical complex used for host cell invasion
- Photosynthetic chloroplasts in all species
- External shell made of silica
Correct Answer: Apical complex used for host cell invasion
Q41. Suramin and pentamidine are drugs used to treat which protozoal disease?
- Giardiasis
- Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
- Malaria caused by Plasmodium
- Amoebiasis
Correct Answer: Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
Q42. Which structure is typical of photosynthetic protists derived from secondary endosymbiosis?
- Chloroplasts with four membranes
- Chloroplasts with a single membrane
- Absent chloroplasts always
- Cellulose cell wall only
Correct Answer: Chloroplasts with four membranes
Q43. Which protozoan infection is most commonly associated with contaminated drinking water and causes diarrhea?
- Trichomoniasis
- Giardiasis
- Sleeping sickness
- Leishmaniasis
Correct Answer: Giardiasis
Q44. Which morphological form of Plasmodium circulates in human blood and causes clinical symptoms?
- Oocyst
- Merozoite and trophozoite stages within RBCs
- Sporozoite in mosquito midgut only
- Ookinete in human liver
Correct Answer: Merozoite and trophozoite stages within RBCs
Q45. Which biological concept explains origin of plastids in many protists via engulfment of a photosynthetic eukaryote?
- Binary fission
- Primary and secondary endosymbiosis
- Conjugation
- Transformation
Correct Answer: Primary and secondary endosymbiosis
Q46. Which environmental role do many protists play that is essential for global carbon cycling?
- Decomposition of cellulose only
- Primary production and carbon fixation in aquatic ecosystems
- Exclusive parasitism with no ecological benefit
- Formation of mineral deposits only
Correct Answer: Primary production and carbon fixation in aquatic ecosystems
Q47. In protist taxonomy, which molecular marker is most widely used for phylogenetic studies?
- 18S rRNA gene
- Cytochrome c oxidase I only
- 16S rRNA gene (prokaryotic marker)
- Hemoglobin gene
Correct Answer: 18S rRNA gene
Q48. Which diagnostic indicator is typical of severe Plasmodium falciparum infection?
- Low parasitemia only
- High parasitemia with cerebral symptoms and sequestration of infected RBCs
- Chronic watery diarrhea
- Cutaneous ulcers exclusively
Correct Answer: High parasitemia with cerebral symptoms and sequestration of infected RBCs
Q49. Which adaptation helps parasitic protists evade host immune responses?
- Stable cell-surface antigens with no variation
- Antigenic variation and intracellular hiding within host cells
- Complete loss of membrane proteins
- Restricted metabolism preventing replication
Correct Answer: Antigenic variation and intracellular hiding within host cells
Q50. For B. Pharm students, why is understanding Protista important in pharmacy practice?
- Only for academic curiosity with no clinical application
- To connect pathogen biology with diagnosis, drug targets, antiprotozoal therapy and drug development
- Because protists are identical to bacteria in treatment
- Protists are irrelevant to drug resistance studies
Correct Answer: To connect pathogen biology with diagnosis, drug targets, antiprotozoal therapy and drug development
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