Module 6.4 Flashcards

Question

what are the four main areas where microorganisms are used in biotechnology

Answer 1

food pharmaceutical drugs enzymes other products e.g. biogas

Answer 2

produces protein faster than animal and plant proteins biomass has very high protein content no animal welfare issues microorganisms good protein source the protein produced contains no animal fat or cholesterol genetic modification can be used to adjust amino acid content production is independent of seasonal variations not much land is required some can be grown on waste materials

Answer 3

some people may not want to eat fungal protein or food grown on waste protein had to be isolated from the material on which they grow microbial biomass can have a high proportion of nucleic acids which must be removed protein had to be purified to ensure it is uncontaminated amino acid profile may be different from traditional animal protein the conditions needed for the microorganisms to grow are also ideal for pathogens so care must be taken to ensure the culture is not infected with the wrong organisms does not have the same taste or texture of traditional protein sources

Answer 4

baking - yeast causes bread to rise alcohol - yeast respiration single cell protein like quorn - microorganism is direct food product

Answer 5

yoghurt - milk that has undergone fermentation by bacteria cheese - milk is treated with bacteria which produces lactic acid from lactose

Answer 6

control the growing conditions for microorganism to ensure the best possible yield of the product

Answer 7

temperature nutrients available oxygen availability pH concentration of product

Answer 8

Products are removed from the fermenter regularly the fermenter is topped up with nutrients regularly the fermentation mixture is removed to extract product and remove cell to prevent the population from becoming too dense keeps the microorganisms growing at a specific growth rate

Answer 9

when products are synthesised by microorganisms during normal metabolism when they are actively growing so the products are being continually released

Answer 10

when product is only produced when the cells are placed under stress such as high population density or limited nutrient density

Answer 11

the fermenter is fully emptied after the the culture is allowed to ferment with limited nutrients for a specific amount of time

Answer 12

unwanted microorganisms: compete with cultured microorganisms for nutrients and space reduced the yield of useful products spoil the product may produced toxic chemicals may destroy the cultured microorganisms and their products

Answer 13

wash your hands disinfect working area bunsen burner nearby pass vessels through flame when opening and closing bottles any glassware or metal equipment should be passed through flame before and after contact with microorganism sterilise agar with autoclave

Answer 14

an enzyme that is held in place and not free to diffuse through the solution

Answer 15

enzymes don't mix with the product so extraction costs are lower enzymes can easily be reused the enzymes are protected from extreme conditions so higher temps or pH can be used without denaturing

Answer 16

adsorption entrapment covalent bonding membrane separation

Answer 17

enzyme immobilised by being bound to a supporting surface by hydrophobic interactions and ionic links bound with active site exposed active site may be slightly distorted by interactions - affecting enzyme activity

Answer 18

enzymes are bonded to a supporting surface using strong covalent bonds - bonded by a cross-linking agent which may also link them in a chain can be expensive and can distort active site reducing activity

Answer 19

enzyme molecules trapped inside a matrix that does not allow free movement substrate molecules have to diffused into the matrix and products must diffuse out - so must be small enzyme is unaffected

Answer 20

enzymes separated from reaction mixture by a partially permeable membrane substrate and product must be small enough to diffuse through membrane

Answer 21

a culture which has no exchange of nutrients or gases with the external environment

Answer 22

lag phase exponential/log phase stationary phase death or decline phase

Answer 23

the early part of population growth growth is slow as population is still small and organisms are adjusting to their environment e.g. taking up water, cell growth, switching on certain genes, synthesising specific proteins

Answer 24

organisms have adjusted to their environment and each has sufficient nutrients and space to grow rapidly and reproduce population doubles in size with each generation

Answer 25

eventually the increasing number of organisms use up the nutrients and produce increasing amounts of waste products the rate of population growth declines and the number of individuals dying increases until the reproduction rate equals the death rate there is no populations growth

Answer 26

the nutrients run out and the concentration of waste products may become lethal more individuals die that are produced and the population begins to fall eventually all the organisms will die

Module 6.4 Flashcards

cloning and biotechnology (50 cards)