Products of Microorganisms Flashcards
What is consumed during microorganism growth?
Nutrients
What are primary metabolites?
The metabolism products produced during the growth phase of microorganisms
What are the two main primary metabolites?
Biosynthesis compounds = more cells
End products of energy metabolism
What are the three phases of microorganism growth?
Exponential
Stationary
Death
When do microorganisms enter the death phase of growth and why?
When all the oxygen is consumed because anaerobic respiration is not efficient enough to produce energy required for survival
What must be optimal in order for microorganisms to produce the ideal primary metabolites?
The culture medium
Name three primary metabolites.
Portable and drinkable alcohol
Industrial solvents
Amino acids
How is portable and drinkable alcohol produced?
Fermentation by yeast
Ethanol is the final product of anaerobic fermentation
What yeast is used for brewing?
Saccharomyces
What microorganism produces industrial solvents?
Clostridium
Name three industrial solvents produced by microorganisms.
Acetone
Butanol
Ethanol
What are the uses for industrial solvents produced by microorganisms?
Biofuels = alternatives to compounds produced from crude oils
Plastic manufacturing
What are the uses of amino acids produced by microorganisms?
To correct dietary deficiency disease
As components of processed foods
Why might a person require amino acids produced by microorganisms?
If the person cannot synthesise the amino acids themselves
If a persons diet lacks in amino acid consumption (soy plants lack methylene)
Name a flavour enhancer composed of amino acids produced by microorganisms?
Monosodium glutamate
Why might the components within a growth medium be changed?
In order to produce more of a certain product
Why does changing the growth medium alter the products?
Because it can inhibit the metabolic pathway of other products
What is feedback inhibition?
The accumulation of a product will inhibit more of that product being produced
How might feedback inhibition of desired products be prevented?
By allowing the products to diffuse out of the cell
What type of medium will allow for products to diffuse out and prevent feedback inhibition and why?
Biotin-deficient medium because it will induce permeability of the membrane
What products are produced from energy metabolism in anaerobic microorganisms?
Ethanol Butanol Acetone Lactic acid - All act as electron sinks
What do electron sinks allow for?
Allow cells to continue with their metabolic activities as they balance the redox state of the cell
What is an auxotroph?
A mutant microorganism unable to synthesise a compound that is essential for its survival?
What is citric acid used for?
A plasticizer in materials
In the food industry
What is citric acid made from?
Aspergillus fungus growing in pellets
Why is citric acid produced in pellets?
Because reduced oxygen penetration into the pellet results in the krebs cycle being interrupted and citric acid is produced
What are the uses of organic acids produced by microorganisms?
Acidulant in manufactured food or drink
Plastic manufacturing
Processed cheese manufacturing
What are the methods in which organic acids are produced by microorganisms?
Homogeneous filamentous morphology
Pelleted morphology
What is pelleted morphology?
Each pellet is able to support the growth of cells and acts as an island for growth
What does the formation of pellets cause?
Diminution of the concentration of certain compounds of the growth medium (oxygen)
Why does formation cause diminution of compounds of the growth medium?
Because the nutrients enter the pellets to enable growth of cells
Why are cells at the centre of a pellet unable to metabolise efficiently and what does this result in?
Because oxygen entering the pellet is used by cells on the outside of the pellet
Results in the production of organic acids
How can we obtain products we want from microorganisms?
By manipulating growth mediums
What does acetobacter do?
Converts ethanol to acetic acid
What is acetic acid used for?
Vinegar production
How are polysaccharides obtained from microorganisms?
Bacteria is grown in a bioreactor
Growth medium and growth conditions are manipulated
What microorganism produces polysaccharides?
Xanthomonas
What are the uses for polysaccharides produced by microorganisms?
Food products = yoghurts, increasing viscosity
Industrial = enhanced oil recovery
Viscosity extenders
What are the required nutrients for polysacchairde production by microorganisms?
Sugars
Phosphate
What does limited phosphate result in during polysaccharide production by microorganisms?
Excess sugar production
What are lipids produced by microorganisms used for?
Dietary additives
Biodegradable plastic
What microorganism is used to make biodegradable plastics?
Alcaligenes
What are the uses of vitamin B12?
Cures pernicious anaemia
Health food shop products
What microorganism produces vitamin B12?
Propionibacterium
- Precursor produced under anaerobic conditions
- Precursor produces vitamin B12 in aerobic conditions
