Biotechnology - Use Of Microorganisms Flashcards
Learn uses of microorganisms
Defined biotechnology
Industrial use of living organisms to produce products
Why are microorganisms used?
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▪ Ideal growth conditions easily created, cheap
▪ Short life cycle, products made quickly
▪ Can grow on cheap materials, cheap
▪ Grown any time of year all year round
What is used in brewing? What are the conditions? Products and reagents? Process name?
Yeast added to barley
Anaerobic conditions
Forms ethanol and CO2 from glucose
Fermentation
Explain how bread rises in baking.
Yeast in the dough breaks down glucose
forming C02 which causes the bread to rise
What’s the enzymes are used in Cheese making? What’s its function? What does lactic acid bacteria do specifically?
Chymosin enzyme and lactic acid bacteria
Clots milk and solidifies it
Lactic acid bacteria converts lactose into lactic acid
What bacteria used in Yoghurt making? What’s its function
Lactic acid bacteria
Converts lactose into lactic acid causes it to thicken
How is insulin made using microorganisms?
▪▪▪▪
1) Genetically modified bacteria
2) With human insulin production gene inserted into DNA
3) Grown in a fermenter
4) Product collected and purified
What is bioremidiation?
Using microorganisms to remove pollutants from a contaminated area
Advantages of using microorganisms
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▪ Microorganisms used to make single celled protein can be grown on waste material e.g. Molasses
▪ Can be grown quickly and cheaply
▪ Use up less space
▪ Cultivated all year round
▪ Single celled protein contains more protein per gram than animal protein
Disadvantages of microorganisms
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▪ Food easily contaminated with bacteria if area not sterile
▪ Single celled protein doesn’t taste like meat
▪ High consumption of single celled protein causes high levels of uric acid and urea as amino acids are broken down
What’s the difference between batch and continuous fermentation?
Batch fermentation is a closed system with not nutrients being added or waste products being removed
Continuous fermentation has nutrients added and waste removed at a constant rate
How and why is pH monitored?
▪▪▪
pH probe
Optimum pH increases product yield as ROR is high
Enzymes don’t denature
How is temperature regulated and why?
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Water jacket surrounding vessel
Optimum temp. Increases yield as ROR is high
Enzymes don’t denature
How is O2 regulated and why?
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Sterile air pumped into vessel
Microorganisms need to respire aerobically to support growth, increases yield
How is nutrient levels controlled ?
Paddles mix the culture with nutrient medium
How is contamination prevented? Why?
▪▪
Vessel sterilised with steam to kill any unwanted microorganisms
Increases yield as microorganisms have less competition for food and space from other organisms
What are the 4 phases in the microorganism graph?
Lag phase
Exponential (Log) phase
Stationary phase
Decline phase
Calculation for number of cells in population
Initial number of cells x 2^n (no. of divisions)
3 ways to immobilise enzymes?
▪▪▪
Encapsulate in alginate beads
Entrapment in silica gel matrix
Covalently bond to collagen fibres or cellulose
Advantages of using immobilised enzymes?
▪▪▪
▪ Can be washed and reused
▪ Product isn’t mixed with enzymes, saves time and money
▪ Immobilised enzymes can withstand higher temperatures and extremes of pH, faster ROR
Disadvantages of using immobilised enzymes
▪▪▪
▪ Extra equipment require, expensive
▪ Immobilised enzymes cost more than free enzymes
▪ Immobilizing enzyme might decrease enzyme activity as substrate has to travel through a medium to reach it
Enzyme used in lactose free milk? What’s the reaction called?
Lactase ( breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose)
Hydrolysis
What enzyme is used to make semi synthetic penicillins?
Penicillin acylase
What enzyme converts dexterins to glucose (starch broken into dexterins)
Glucoamylase
What enzyme converts glucose into fructose?
Glucose isomerase
What separates out L amino acids
Aminoacylase
What converts acrylonitrile into acrylamide
Nitrilase
