Microbes In Human Welfare | Useful Microbes - PMF IAS

Tags

Top Highlights

• scientists have introduced thuringiensis toxin genes into plants. Such plants are resistant to attack by insect pests. Bt-cotton is one such example

• Statins produced by the yeast Monascus purpureus have been commercialized as blood-cholesterol lowering agents.

• number of antibiotics are being produced from bacteria and fungi.

• Antibiotics and Vaccination

• Streptomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin are some of the commonly known antibiotics which are made from fungi and bacteria.

• In 1929, Alexander Fleming was working on a culture of disease-causing bacteria [Staphylococci].

• he found the spores of a little green mould [Penicillium notatum] in one of his culture plates

• From this the mould penicillin was prepared.

• Antibiotics, however, are not effective against cold and flu as these are caused by viruses.

• Edward Jenner discovered the vaccine for smallpox in 1798

• Microbes are also used for commercial and industrial production of certain chemicals like organic acids, alcohols and enzymes

• Aspergillus niger (a fungus) of citric acid

• Acetobacter aceti (a bacterium) of acetic acid

• Clostridium butylicum (a bacterium) of butyric acid

• Lactobacillus (a bacterium) of lactic acid.

• Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used for commercial production of ethanol.

• Lipases are used in detergent formulations and are helpful in removing oily stains from the laundry.

• bottled juices are clarified by the use of pectinases and proteases.

• Streptokinase produced by the bacterium Streptococcus and modified by genetic engineering is used as a ‘clot buster’ for removing clots from the blood vessels

• Another bioactive molecule, cyclosporin A, that is used as an immunosuppressive agent in organ-transplant patients, is produced by the fungus Tnchoderma polysporum