Cloning and biotechnology Flashcards
What are immobilised enzymes?
An enzyme that is attached to an insoluble material to prevent the enzymes mixing with the product
What is Adsorption?
An enzyme is adsorbed onto an inert material
- through ionic bonds and hydrophobic interactions
- The active site is exposed however it may be distorted due to interactions between the enzyme and the surface
- Enzymes may detach from the surface and leak into the reaction mixture
What is membrane seperation?
Enzyme molecules are seperated from the reaction mixture by a partially permeable membrane
- The substrate and product must be able to diffuse through the membrane
Covalent bonding
Enzyme molecules are covalently bound to a surface such as clay.
A cross linking agent is used so enzymes are less likely to detach from surface than in adsorption.
However, it can be expensive and can distort active site.
Entrapment
An enzyme molecule is trapped in a matrix such as calcium alginate or cellulose mesh
Enzyme is unchanged by the entrapment but the substrate and products must be able to diffuse into/out of the matrix
For example lactase is trapped in calcium alginate which causes the two to form hard beads
Milk is then passed through the beads and lactose is broken down and creates lactose free milk
What is biotechnology?
The use of an organism to produce useful products or services
Name some way in which microbes are/have microbes used in industry
Medicine production
Food production
Bioengineering
Production of enzymes in food production
Genetic engineering
Pharming - animals used to create pharmaceuticals
Crops
Herbicides and pesticides
How is cheese and yoghurt made?
Fermented milk products
- Lactic acid bacteria forment lactose changing the consistency of milk
With cheese, the protein coagulates and seperates into curds, which are then turned into cheese
With yoghurt it metabolises lactose causing the pH to drop, denaturing the protein so it thickens
How is mycoprotein (Qourn) made?
Fungus is grown in continuous culture
The fungus is then extracted and the mycelium is textured and flavoured
How is yeast used for production?
Brewing industry makes large amounts of waste yeast
Which is then hydrolysed and used to make products such as marmite
How is beer produced?
sugar is fermented to ethanol by yeast
How are antibiotics produced?
Antibiotics are chemicals made by living organisms that either kill or inhibit the growth of microbes
How are oil spills cleaned up?
Bacteria which can digest individual hydrocarbon components oil.
- Genetic modification has produced bacteria which can digest a range of hydrocarbons, rather then just simple ones.
What is fermentation?
The process of growing microbes by providing nutrients to allow for growth
- Often done in fermentation tanks or fermentors
What is batch culture?
Starter culture containing actively growing cells is added to a nutrient medium in a fermentor and allowed to grow
Nutrients are not added during fermentation, though conditions may be adjusted for example pH and oxygen
Once this is completed the tank is emptied and products extracted
