Question

1. Give and identify examples of ways in which products of microbial metabolism are used by humans

2. Give and identify examples of ways in which products of microbial metabolism can be helpful or harmful to other organisms

Answer 1

Ans-1) The various ways in which products of microbial metabolism are used by humans are-

a) Several microbes are known as decomposers that are used to break down dead and decaying organic matter into simple harmless inorganic compounds. This process is used in the sewage treatment plants that breaks down harmful organic waste into harmless ones.

b) Certain microbes are also used in the process of feremnting foods like formation of yogurt from milk by the action of lactic acid bacilli. These bacteria convert lactose from the milk into lactic acid to form curd.

c) Few microbial metabolites are also used in the production of nutrition supplements like vitamins, amino acids.

d) The microbial metabolite penicillin is used as an antibiotic to treat respiratory diseases like pneumonia, throat infections, ear infections etc in humans.

Ans-2) Microbial metabolites can be useful as well as harmful for other organisms. Few examples of these are,

a) Certain microbes like Clostridium botulinum causes botulism food poisoning by growing on smoked or raw fish, meat or home-canned vegetables.

b) Root nodules of leguminous plants have comprises of the bacteria rhizobium that converts atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogenous compounds that can be absorbed by the plants which is required for their growth. Thus, these microbes are useful for these plants.

c) Acidic mine drainage is caused by certain group of microbes that results from the introduction of water and oxygen to sulfide-oxidizing bacteria during the process of mining. As a byproduct of their metabolism, these bacteria produce sulfuric acid in large amount and thus kills many aquatic plants and animals.