Introduction to Microbiology

Introduction to Microbiology

Applied Microbiology: - 

Branch of biology in which study of the enzymes related to some prokaryotes and eukaryotic microbes, proteins, applied genetics, molecular biology, etc. is performed; is called as applied microbiology.

Industrial microbiology

The science which is related to commercial use of microbes in which various economic, social and environment related processes and products are included is called Industrial microbiology.

Industrial Microbiology: main features

1) Various productions with the help of fermentation process. Ex. Bread, cheese, wine,           row  material for chemicals, enzymes, nutrients, medicines, etc.

2) Use of microbes for garbage management and pollution control.

Probiotics

  Ø  Probiotics are also milk products, but contain active bacteria e.g. Lactobacillus,     Acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, etc.

  Ø  These microbes maintain the balance of intestinal microorganisms i.e. increase the population of microbes helping the digestion and decrease the population of harmful microbes (ex. Clostridium).

  Ø  Probiotic products are available in various forms like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut (pickle of cabbage), dark chocolate, miso soup, pickles, oils, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, microalgae (Sea food like Spirulina, Chlorella, Blue green algae, etc.).

Bread

  Ø  Different types of breads are produced from flour of cereals. Dough is formed by mixing of baker’s yeast – Saccharomyces cerevisiae, water, salt and other necessary materials with flour.

  Ø  Due to fermentation of carbohydrates by yeast, sugar is converted in to carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethanol.

  Ø  Dough rises up due to CO2 and the bread becomes spongy.

Vinegar Production

  Ø  Vinegar is used in each country of the world to impart sour taste to food materials and for preservation of pickles, sauce, ketch-up, chutneys, etc.

  Ø  Chemically, vinegar is 4% acetic acid (CH3COOH).

  Ø  Ethanol, an alcohol is obtained by fermentation of carbon compounds like fruit juices, maple syrup, sugar molasses, and starch of the roots; with the help of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Microbial Enzymes

Ø  Now a day, instead of chemical catalysts, microbial enzymes are used in chemical industry.

  Ø  These enzymes are active at low temperature, pH and pressure; due to which energy is saved and erosion-proof instruments are also not necessary.

     Ø  Enzymes carry out specific processes; hence unnecessary byproducts are not formed due to which expenses on purification are minimised.

     Ø  In case of microbial enzymatic reactions, elimination and decomposition of waste material is avoided and enzymes can be reused. Hence, such enzymes are eco-friendly.

      Ø  Some examples of microbial enzymes are oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, etc.

Antibiotics

  Ø  Many diseases of human and other animals have been controlled due to antibiotics obtained from different types of bacteria and fungi.

  Ø  Antibiotics like penicillin, cephalosporins, monobactam, bacitracin, erythromycin, gentamycin, neomycin, streptomycin, tetracyclins, vancomycin, etc. are used against various strains of gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Rifamycin is effective against tuberculosis etc.

Microbes and Fuels

       1)      Gaseous fuel- methane can be obtained by microbial anaerobic decomposition of urban agricultural and industrial waste.

      2)     Ethanol, an alcohol is a clean (smokeless) fuel obtained during fermentation of molasses by the yeast- Saccharomyces.

      3)      Hydrogen gas is considered to be the fuel of future. Hydrogen gas is released during bio-photolysis of water in which bacteria perform the photo reduction.

Bio-fuel

Biofuel is important among the renewable source of good energy. These fuels are available in solid (coal, dung, crop residue), liquid (vegetable oils, alcohol), gaseous (gobar gas, coal gas) forms. These fuels are easily available and in plenty of quantity. These are reliable fuels of the future.

Microbial Pollution Control

Solids wastes, sewage and various pollutants are ever increasing with increase in pollution. Along with it, ever increasing diseases and degradation of environment are the world-wide problems. Life of the future generations will be difficult if these problems are not solved at right time and to right extent.

The role of microbes in environment.

Microbes are used for disposal of solid waste through biogas plant and compost production.

As we already know that microbes are used for disposal of solid waste through biogas plant and compost production.

Q1)  Fill in the blanks

      1)      Process of coagulation of milk proteins occur due to lactic acid.

      2)      Harmful bacteria like clostridium in the intestine are destroyed due to probiotics.

      3)      Chemically vinegar is acetic acid.

      4)      Salts which can be used as supplement of calcium and iron are obtained from amino acid.