prokaryotic biotechnology and genetic engineering Flashcards
why are bacteria used in biotechnology?
bacteria are used as they are easy to culture in large numbers due to their fast reproduction, and, bacteria generate useful products.
biotechnology processes
- medicine
- fermentation
- bioremediation
- bioleaching
- preparation of food
- genetic engineering
what is bioremediation?
bioremediation is any process which uses microorganisms or their enzymes to return the environment to its original condition after being contaminated.
why does bioremediation have to happen?
many substances have been used in the environment that were once thought to be harmless, that have a dangerous bio-accumulative affect on plants and animals.
examples of bioremediation
microorganisms reduce oils to an emulsion of fatty acids, which sink to the seabed and are consumed by marine life, the microorganisms die when they run out of oil to consume.
breakdown of halogenated organic compounds.
decontamination of groundwater: microorganisms breakdown nitrates and carbon tetrachloride into CO2, nitrogen and water.
BIOREMEDIATION OF DDT USING SPHINGOBACTERIUM SPECIES.
ALCANIVORAX BORKUMENSIS IS BIOREMEDIATION OF AN OIL SPILL
PSEUDOMONAS VERONI IN BIOREMEDIATION OF HEAVY METALS
give an example of bioremediation with a named bacteria?
an example of bioremediation is the use of bacteria to breakdown dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) by sphingobacterium species.
alcanivorax borkumensis in bioremediation of an oil spill.
pseudomonas veroni in bioremediation of heavy metals.
what is bioleaching?
bioleaching is the extraction of specific metals from their ores using bacteria.
give an example of bioleaching with a named bacteria?
extraction of copper using thiobacillus bacteria.
what is fermentation?
fermentation is a type of anaerobic respiration, where oxygen is not used as the terminal electron acceptor.
fermentation in the food industry results in the formation of a variety of useful products.
bacteria in the food industry
bacteria are used in the preparation of many foodstuffs. e.g. yoghurt is produced by the breakdown of lactose in milk to lactic acid.
give an example of bacteria used in the food industry with a named bacteria.
the breakdown of lactose sugar into lactic acid is achieved by the use of streptococcus thermophiles, or lactobacillus bulgaricus in a fermentation process.
in cheese making, breakdown of lactose into lactic acid by lactococcus, lactobacillus, or streptococcus species - the solid curds are seperated from the liquid whey.
leuconostoc mesenteroides is used in vegetable product fermentation for flavour - pickles, sauerkraut, and olives.
lactobacillus diacertylactis gives characteristic flavour in butter.
what is genetic engineering?
the process of genetic engineering (recombinant DNA technology) involves the transfer of a desired gene from one organism into another organism - the host- so that the host expresses the gene. the host then becomes a genetically modified organism (GMO) with a new genotype.
how is bacteria used in genetic engineering?
bacteria can be genetically engineered to produce medicines that are not produced by the bacterium naturally.
bacteria can be genetically engineered for medicinal and food purposes, e.g. genetically modified foods.
what are genetically modified organisms (GMO’s)
when a new piece of DNA is inserted into the bacterial plasmid, the genetically modified bacteria can now produce the product of the inserted gene.
give an example of how genetic engineering is used.
the gene for human growth hormone or insulin can be copied by using PCR and inserted into bacteria.
the genetically modified bacteria can now produce insulin and human growth hormone for use in medical therapy.
