We explain what budding is and how this form of asexual reproduction occurs in plants, animals and examples of each.
What is budding?
In biology, it is known as budding (from the Latin geminus“twin”) to a form of asexual reproduction that consists of an unequal division of the parent's body.
It requires the growth of a physical prominence that can later separate and give rise to a whole new individual, or remain attached and start a colony. This will depend on the species of living being and the favorable conditions of the environment.
Budding as a reproductive process occurs in both plants and some fungi (such as yeasts), but also in some animals such as poriferans, cnidarians and bryozoans. Like all forms of asexual reproduction, they have minimal or no genetic variety, that is, create individuals genetically identical to the parent.
See also: Reproduction of fungi
Budding in plants
Many types of plants reproduce by budding: create new individuals from shoots from the trunk or stem of the parent.
This ability can be used to obtain new plants, because when you remove a sprout from the stem and place it in water, it will take root and give rise to a complete new individual. In fact, many types of cacti, succulents, and seedless plants easily reproduce this way.
Budding in animals
In animals, budding It is common, in the most primitive orders and genera both unicellular and multicellular.
- Unicellular The process begins with the duplication of the cell nucleus and the construction of a bud or protuberance in the cytoplasm of the progenitor, where the new nucleus will be located until, depending on the environment, it will end up separating by asymmetric mitosis. This yolk is produced anywhere in the body or in specific regions of the body, depending on the species.
- Multicellular In species such as corals, sponges or water hydras, budding gives rise to the famous colonies of these underwater living beings, or to new individuals that can move away from their parents and not compete with them for food and space.
Examples of budding
They are famous examples of reproduction by budding. corals, flatworms and jellyfish. In some of these cases, such as that of planarians (Planariidae), sexual reproduction is always the species' favorite, since it provides genetic variety, but in specific conditions budding may be more convenient.
The laboratory experiment is well known in which, with a sharp instrument, the body of the planarian is cut longitudinally, and it is then observed how a completely identical new individual emerges from each piece.
Other types of asexual reproduction
In addition to sporulation, there are other non-sexual reproduction mechanisms (that is, those that involve a single individual and have little or no genetic variation), such as:
- Binary fission Made by single-celled organisms, which replicate their DNA and cellular content. Thus they form a double individual. Its plasma membrane narrows, divides the cell and creates two new genetically identical individuals.
- Sporulation It occurs thanks to specialized organs of the cell (sporangia, for example). Additionally, these cells, called spores, are covered in a super tough shell. Spores can survive long periods and in very hostile conditions. Thus they manage to produce a new individual when the environment is favorable.
- Parthenogenesis It is carried out by certain animals, such as flatworms, rotifers, tardigrades, insects, amphibians, fish, crustaceans and some reptiles. The new individual is genetically equal to the parent since it is created through the development of unfertilized female sex cells.
References
- “Gemation” on Wikipedia.
- “Gemation” in Enciclopedia.us.
- “Reproduction by budding” (video) in UnProfesor.
- “Asexual reproduction” in Hypertexts of the Biology Area.
- “Gemación” in Educarchile Digital Resources Center.
