Biotechnology and genetic engineering Flashcards
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are biological catalysts that operate at the temperatures, pressures and moderate pH levels found in living organisms.
What does the fungus Penicillium do?
Penicillium absorbs food molecules from it’s environment, and then uses these molecules for it’s own metabolism.
What is an antibiotic?
An antibiotic is a product made by one microorganism to kill off another microorganism.
Which was the first antibiotic to be discovered?
Penicillin
What do antibiotics affect?
Bacterial cells.
What do antibiotics NOT treat?
Viral and fungal diseases.
Bactericidal antibiotics
Kill a pathogen directly.
Bacteriostatic
Prevent a pathogen from reproducing.
What is an antiseptic?
Antiseptics are chemicals applied to the outside of the body, such as the skin, to kill microbes.
What can an antiseptic be used for?
An antiseptic can be used to prevent infection.
Why are some bacteria resistant to penicillin?
Because these bacteria produce penicillinase.
What does penicillinase do?
This enzyme destroys penicillin before it can take effect.
How are antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria formed.
Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are formed by artificial selection.
What is fermentation?
The term fermentation covers ANY metabolic process carried out by microorganisms using carbohydrate as a starting material.
What is the best known fermentation reaction?
The anaerobic respiration of glucose by the single-celled fungus yeast.
glucose -> carbon dioxide + ethanol + energy
