How was penicillin discovered?
Penicillin was an accidental discovery. Sir Alexander Fleming observed that in unwashed culture plates of Staphylococcus, a mould Penicillium was growing. This mould inhibited the-growth of Staphylococcus. Later the antibiotic Penicillin was isolated from this fungus.
Name a microbe used for statin production. How do statins lower blood cholesterol level?
Find out the role of microbes in the following and discuss it with your teacher.
(a) Single cell protein (SCP)
(b) Soil
Name the scientists who were credited for showing the role of Penicillin as an antibiotic.
In which way have microbes played a major role in controlling diseases caused by harmful bacteria?
What is the group of bacteria found in both the rumen of cattle and sludge of sewage treatment?
Microbes can be used to decrease the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Explain how this can be accomplished.
(a) Discuss about the major programs that the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, has initiated for saving major Indian rivers from pollution.
(b) Ganga has recently been declared the national river. Discuss the implication with respect to pollution of this river.
In which food would you find lactic acid bacteria? Mention some of their useful applications.
(a) What would happen if a large volume of untreated sewage is discharged into a river?
(b) In what way anaerobic sludge digestion is important in sewage treatments?
Bacteria cannot be seen with the naked eyes, but these can be seen with the help of a microscope. If you have to carry a sample from your home to your biology laboratory to demonstrate the presence of microbes under a microscope, which sample would you carry and why?
Write the most important characteristic that Aspergillus niger, Clostridium butylicum and Lactobacillus share.
What would happen if our intestine harbours microbial flora exactly similar to that found in the rumen of cattle?
What roles do enzymes play in detergents that we use for washing clothes? Are these enzymes produced from some unique microorganisms?
Find out the name of the microbes from which Cyclosporin A (an immunosuppressive drug) and Statins (blood cholesterol lowering agents) are obtained.
Name some traditional Indian foods made of wheat, rice and Bengal gram (or their products) which involve use of microbes.
Three water samples namely river water, untreated sewage water and secondary effluent discharged from a sewage treatment plant were subjected to BOD test. The samples were labelled A, B and C; but the laboratory attendant did not note which was which. The BOD values of the three samples A, B and C were recorded as 20 mg/L, 8 mg/Land 400 mg/L, respectively. Which sample of the water is most polluted? Can you assign the correct label to each assuming the river water is relatively clean?
How has the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis helped us in controlling caterpillars of insect pests?
Arrange the following in the decreasing order (most important first) of their importance, for the welfare of human society. Give reasons for your answer.Biogas, Citric acid, Penicillin and Curd.
What is the chemical nature of biogas? Name an organism which is involved in biogas production.
Draw a diagrammatic sketch of biogas plant and label its various components given below: Gas Holder, Sludge Chamber, Digester, Dung+water chamber