Lecture 10: Microbrial Biotechnology 1

Question 1

Microbial Fermentation: Food and Beverage

Answer 1

amino acids (glutamine)
vitamins (riboflavin)
flavor (monosodium glutamate)
acidulants (citric acid)
thickeners (xanthan gum)
stabilizers (dextran)
flavors (methyl salicylate)

Question 2

Enzymes for Food Processing Industry

Answer 2

Proteases (clear and flavor rice wines)
peptidase (cheddar cheese)
lipase (digestive aid, develop flavors in cheese)
amylase (high fructose corn syrup, flour supplement)
invertase (soft-centered candies)
pectinase (clarifies wine, vinegar, syrup, and fruit juices)

Question 3

Industrial Enzymes

Answer 3

Detergents (amylase, subtilisin (protease)
lipase, mannanase)
textiles (amylase, protease, lipase, catalase)
leather (protease, trypsin, keratinase)
animal and pet food (cellulase, phytase, glucoamylase)
oil field applications (cellulases, amylases, and mannanases)
biocatalysis (lipase and protease)

Question 4

Potential Microbial Applications

Answer 4

• Production of novel therapeutics and preventive agents
• Detection of disease-causing organisms and monitoring of the safety
• Production of chemical catalysts
• Production of industrial enzymes
• Energy generation (ethanol, methane, hydrogen)
• Development of biosensors for harmful chemicals

Question 5

3 Broad Types of Metagenomic Approaches

Answer 5

• Biochemical approach
• Whole genome shotgun (WGS) method: WGS approaches have been used mainly in environmental studies from various sites (seat water, abandoned mines)
• 16s- RNA sequencing (ribotyping): most widely studied approach for microbiological point of view

Question 6

Genomes of Pathogenic Microbes

Answer 6

• Streptococcus pneumonia, causes ear and lung infections, kills 3 million children worldwide each year
• Many of the vaccines are ineffective in children
• In 2001, the genome was sequenced and many genes encoding proteins on the surface of the bacteria were discovered

Question 7

Gardasil for HPV and Cancers

Answer 7

• 75% of sexually active women will become infected with HPV
• 9 different HPV proteins from different HPV strains expressed in yeast
• HPV strains
  *causes genital warts, and cervical, anal, vulvar, vaginal, and penile cancer cases
• inserts DNA into human genome
• produce oncoproteins
• does not treat existing infections but may still protect against other strains