6.4.8 Microorganisms and Biotechnology

Question 1

Why does biotechnology harness the processes in living organisms?

Answer 1

Biotechnology harnesses the processes in living organisms to

produce useful products, such as foods and medicines

carry out useful services, such as sewage treatment, composting and bioremediation

Question 2

What is bioremediation?

Answer 2

The use of microorganisms to degrade contaminants after an environmental accident eg. an oil spill clean up or the clean up of former industrial sites

Question 3

Why are microorganisms the most useful group of organisms for this?

Answer 3

Microorganisms are the most useful group of organisms that carry out biotechnological processes because they

Have simple growth requirements

Their food is cheap and readily available
.
They occupy very little space

Reproduce quickly and have short life cycles

Do not have non-productive tissues and organs

Can be grown on an industrial scale to perform duties useful to large numbers of the human population

Because of this, there are many economic advantages gained from using microorganisms in biotechnology

Question 4

What are the emerging uses of biotechnology?

Answer 4

Research on biotechnology has identified possible roles in these emerging processes

Production of biofuels (to replace the use of fossil fuels)

Production of vaccines and antibodies for the treatment of disease

Production of hardy crop plants that can grow in arid conditions

Counteracting threats from bioterrorism or bio-warfare