Exploiting Microorganisms Flashcards
Microbiological Considerations in pharmaceutical industry
Microbiological stability (eg sterility for pcular and injections), excipients (preservatives, antiseptics and disinfectants), antimicrobial resistance development and genetic engineering
Bioremediation Outline
Making products for human use from microorganisms
Food Industry Microbiological Considerations
Lactic acid bacteria - dairy fermentation, probiotics - gut health, yeast fermentation - alcohol production and acetic acid bacteria - vinegar fermentation
Lactic acid bacteria Outline
Dairy fermentation. Lactobacillus spp and streptococcus thermophilus spp. Formation of yoghurt and cheese
Probiotics Outline
Gut Health. Lactobacillus fermentum and bifidobacterium lactis. Used to repopulate gut bacteria during/after antibiotics
Yeast Fermentation Bacteria Outline
Alcohol production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bread, wine and beer
Acetic Acid Bacteria Outline
Vinegar fermentation. acetobacter and gluconobacter
Bioremediation Microbiological Considerations
Removing pollutants (sustainable, cost-effective and specific)
Water Treatment Microbiological Considerations
Prevention of faecal-oral transmission of disease (from animal waste eg E. Coli), Maintenance of safety standards of drinking/swimming/bathing water
Exceedance Outline
When quantity of microorganisms in water increase above quality standards
Relationship between concentration of microorganisms in water and BOD
Increase in concentration = increase in BOD = decrease in water quality
How bacteria treat water
Anaerobic water added to septic tanks to metabolise organic material to digest human waste. Nitrifying bacteria (aerobic) detoxify ammonia in water
Nitrification Outline
Aerobic process done by nitrifying bacteria. Oxidizing reduced forms of nitrogen (ammonia to nitrites and nitrates)
Denitrification Outline
Anarobic process done by denitrifying bacteria. Reduction of nitrates and nitrites to ammonia (gas) that escapes into atmosphere
Benefits/Opportunities of utilising bacteria in these industries
produce protein products for human use (eg antibiotics, hormones and enzymes), sustainable (less waste) and lower cost
Disadvantages/Challenges of utilising bacteria in industry
Necessity for a lot of product screening (genetic), effort to maintain optimal growth conditions and low percentage chance of foreign genetic material in bacteria
Remediation Considerations Outline
Microorganism substrate selectivity, growth conditions (pH, temp oxygen presence/absence, pollutants), Inter-microorganism competition and the ability of product production to be scaled up to industry output requirements
E Coli (Prokaryotic bacterium) Uses
Produce recombinant proteins. Genetics are well characterised (well documented), versatile cloning tool and gene expression systems
S cerevisiaes (Eukaryotic) Outline
Produce recombinant proteins and is used in alcohol fermentation
Pichia Pastrosis (eukaryotic yeast) Outline
Produces recombinant protein E Coli is unable to produce
Bacillus Subtillis (prokaryotic bacterium)
High yield enzyme production
Streptomyces Outline
Production of antibiotics, anticancer agents and immunosuppressants
Human Insulin Production Outline
Old: animal pancreas cells (higher rejection rate), New: E. Coli or yeast. Produced in large quantities
Penicillin and Cephalosporin Antibiotics Production Outlines
Penicillium chrysogenum. High yields during fermentation
Streptomycin, tetracycline and erthromycin antibiotics production outline
Streptomyces
Monoclonal antibodies production outline
E Coli
Process of Bacterial foreign DNA uptake
Human gene sequence is isolated from human cells/tissues, gene(s) is inserted into plasmid (‘cloned’), transformation, host cells placed into fermentation tanks, DNA transcription, translation, protein is insulated, formulation and lyophilisation
Cloning of DNA
Insertion of multiple different human genes and other genetic elements into plasmid’s multiple cloning site (place where plasmid loop was cut)
Transformation Outline
The uptake of plasmid containing human genes into bacterium/yeast cell. Genetic process with a low sucess rate
Transcription Outline
Conversion of plasmid DNA to mRNA
Translation Outline
Conversion of mRNA to protein in ribosomes.
Lyophilised Outline
Bacterial product is free-dried to elongate shelf life
Methods to isolate specific product from culture
chromatography, filtration and centrifugation
Refolding Treatment Outline
Folding of protein outside of host cell to make it functional (typically prokaryotic cells don’t have processes to fold proteins for eukaryotics)
