Introduction to Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

What is the definition of Industrial Microbiology according to Brock?

Industrial Microbiology uses and commercially exploits microbes on large scales to produce desired products like food, beverages, enzymes, and systems such as bio-mining of metals and wastewater treatment plants, using non-GMO microbes.

How does Biotechnology differ from Industrial Microbiology?

Biotechnology uses genetically engineered microbes (GMOs) to produce high-value products such as fuels, fine chemicals, drugs, and hormones, which microbes don't typically biosynthesise.

Why are the definitions of Industrial Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology often mixed in real life?

In real life, Microbial Biotechnology is often used as a 'cover-all' term for applied microbiology, while Industrial Microbiology simply refers to both large-scale non-GM and GM processes.

What is the term "fermentation" used to describe in microbiology?

In microbiology, "fermentation" refers to the metabolic process of incomplete oxidation of organic compounds, resulting in fermentation products such as ethanol and organic acids.

What does "fermentation" refer to in large-scale bioreactors?

In large-scale bioreactors (fermentors), "fermentation" refers to the controlled growth of microbes under aerobic/anaerobic respiration or fermentation to produce desired products.

How can you tell which meaning of "fermentation" is being referred to?

The context in which "fermentation" is used will provide clues as to whether it's referring to the metabolic process or the growth of microbes in a bioreactor.

What does genetic engineering refer to in microbiology?

Genetic engineering refers to the use of in vitro techniques to alter nucleic acids in the laboratory.

What are the types of modified nucleic acids in genetic engineering?

Modified nucleic acids can be derived from the host itself (homologous), from another organism (heterologous), or from a synthetic DNA source.

What are the basic tools/processes/components for recombinant DNA technologies?

Basic tools include PCR, qPCR, DNA polymerases, restriction enzymes, gel electrophoresis, ligases, reverse transcriptase, and cloning vectors.

What is the role of PCR in recombinant DNA technology?

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is used to amplify specific DNA sequences, making it easier to work with small amounts of DNA in the lab.

What is the purpose of restriction enzymes in genetic engineering?

Restriction enzymes cut DNA at specific sequences, allowing for the manipulation and insertion of genes in recombinant DNA technology.

What is the function of ligases in recombinant DNA processes?

Ligases are enzymes that join two pieces of DNA together by forming phosphodiester bonds, crucial for creating recombinant DNA molecules.

What is the role of reverse transcriptase in molecular biology?

Reverse transcriptase is used to generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template, often for studying gene expression.

Where do many molecular tools used in microbial biotechnology originate from?

Many of the tools used in microbial biotechnology are of prokaryotic origin.

What is the purpose of gel electrophoresis in molecular biology?

Gel electrophoresis is used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins based on their size and charge, helping to analyze genetic material.

What are advanced tools used for specific purposes in microbial biotechnology?

Advanced tools include expression vectors, reporter genes (e.g., lacZ and GFP), fusions, mutagenesis, CRISPR/Cas9, gene editing of eukaryotes, and more.

What is the function of expression vectors in molecular biotechnology?

Expression vectors are used to introduce and express foreign genes in host cells, enabling the production of proteins or other products.

What is mutagenesis used for in molecular biotechnology?

Mutagenesis involves deliberately inducing mutations in a gene to study its function, identify specific gene properties, or improve traits.

How does CRISPR/Cas9 technology work in gene editing?

CRISPR/Cas9 technology enables precise insertion or deletion of DNA sequences at targeted locations in the genome, allowing for gene editing.

What is synthetic biology in the context of microbial biotechnology?

Synthetic biology involves the creation of synthetic cells, microbiomes, minimal cells, and artificial life forms, such as synthetic Mycoplasma.

What are biobricks in synthetic biology?

Biobricks are standardised, modular DNA components used in synthetic biology to build new genetic systems or devices by assembling them in a specific order for ‘Engineering Biology.’

What are some examples of products made from genetically engineered organisms?

Examples include mammalian proteins, metabolites, hormones, transgenic organisms in agriculture and aquaculture, engineered vaccines, biofuels, bio-based materials, high-value products from waste, and biosensors.

What are biosensors and how do they work in biotechnology?

Biosensors are devices that use genetically engineered organisms or biological molecules to detect and measure specific substances, such as pathogens, toxins, or environmental pollutants.

Why are many mammalian proteins and hormones costly to purify from tissue culture systems?

They are costly to purify because the process involves complex tissue culture systems, making it expensive and time-consuming to extract and isolate the proteins and hormone

How are microbes used to produce mammalian proteins and hormones?

Microbes with expression vectors carrying cDNA of the (mutated) gene of interest are used to produce mammalian proteins and hormones, offering a more efficient and cost-effective alternative.

What was the first human protein made commercially using GMO bacteria?

Insulin was the first human protein made commercially using genetically modified (GMO) bacteria.

What is human/bovine somatotropin, and how is it encoded?

Human/bovine somatotropin is a single polypeptide hormone encoded by a single gene, involved in regulating growth and milk production.

How is recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) used in the dairy industry?

rBST is used in the USA dairy industry to stimulate milk production in cows, increasing milk yield.

How does mutated human somatotropin differ from bovine somatotropin?

Mutated human somatotropin targets growth only, without stimulating milk production, differing from bovine somatotropin, which promotes milk production in addition to growth.

What are some key areas where large-scale microbiology is applied?

Large-scale microbiology is applied in food and beverages, enzymes, probiotics, and many other sectors.

What types of microbes are used in large-scale microbiology for production?

Microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and archaea are used in large-scale microbiology for various applications.

How are microbial enzymes applied in various sectors?

Microbial enzymes are used in a wide range of sectors, including food processing, textiles, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and detergents, for their ability to catalyse specific reactions efficiently

What role do probiotics play in large-scale microbiology?

Probiotics are used in food production, particularly in dairy products, to promote gut health and balance beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.

How does large-scale microbiology contribute to environmental sustainability?

Large-scale microbiology contributes to more environmentally sustainable processes by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and using biological systems that are more eco-friendly.

What is pyrite, and where is it commonly found?

Pyrite (FeS2) is one of the most common forms of iron in nature, found in coals and metal ores.

How do sulfides form insoluble minerals with metals?

Sulfides react with metals to form insoluble minerals, making it difficult to extract metals from ores without special techniques.

What is microbial leaching, and why is it economically feasible for low-grade ores?

Microbial leaching is a process that uses microbes to extract metals from ores. It is economically feasible for low-grade ores because microbes can concentrate metals effectively, reducing costs.

How does microbial leaching take advantage of microbial metabolic diversity and tropisms?

Microbial leaching takes advantage of the metabolic diversity of microbes, allowing them to break down sulfides and other minerals, and their tropisms, which direct them to specific minerals, to remove valuable metals from ores.

Which types of ores are commonly processed using microbial leaching?

Microbial leaching is commonly used to extract metals from copper, uranium, and gold ores

Why is microbial leaching considered more environmentally friendly than traditional gold mining?

Microbial leaching is more environmentally friendly because it avoids the toxic waste streams of arsenic (As) and cyanide (CN) associated with classical gold mining

What environmental risk is associated with microbial leaching if improperly handled?

Improper handling of microbial leaching can lead to acidification of the environment, which may cause environmental damage.

What is acid mine drainage, and how does it occur?

Acid mine drainage occurs when minerals or ores mixed with mined materials react with natural waters in rivers and lakes, leading to contamination and the release of acidic, toxic substances.

What is bioremediation in large-scale microbiology?

Bioremediation is the microbial cleanup of pollutants in the environment, such as oil spills, metals, toxic chemicals, pesticides, plastics, and pharmaceuticals.

What types of pollutants can be addressed through bioremediation?

Bioremediation can be used to clean up both earth-made pollutants (e.g., oil) and synthetic pollutants (e.g., pesticides, plastics, pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs).

Why is bioremediation generally more successful with natural pollutants?

Bioremediation tends to be more successful with natural pollutants because microbes have evolved to degrade naturally occurring substances like oil more efficiently than synthetic ones.

How does metal bioremediation work?

In metal bioremediation, microbes harvest energy to alter the chemical form of a polluting metal, converting it into a more immobilized form, which makes the metal less mobile and harmful.

What is microbial dechlorination?

Microbial dechlorination involves microbes breaking down chlorinated pollutants by removing chlorine atoms, which can help reduce the toxicity of certain harmful chemicals.

How are plastics being addressed through bioremediation?

Some microbes have evolved the ability to degrade certain plastics, and research is moving towards creating biodegradable plastics to reduce environmental impact.

How can bioremediation address halogenated pollutants like chlorinated compounds?

Microbial dechlorination can be used to break down halogenated pollutants, like chlorinated compounds, by removing chlorine atoms, making these substances less harmful.

Why is wastewater treatment essential?

Wastewater treatment is essential for maintaining environmental quality and public health by removing pollutants from domestic and industrial wastewater.

What is domestic wastewater?

Domestic wastewater refers to sewage, which is wastewater generated from household activities like cooking, bathing, and sanitation.

What is industrial wastewater?

Industrial wastewater consists of liquid waste streams produced by various industrial processes, which may contain a wide range of pollutants.

What types of pollutants are found in wastewater?

Wastewater may contain pollutants such as microbes, pathogens, organic compounds, and inorganic materials.

What methods do wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) use to treat wastewater?

WWTPs use a combination of physical and microbial methods, including primary, secondary, tertiary, and advanced treatments, to remove pollutants from wastewater.

What is involved in primary wastewater treatment?

Primary treatment is a physical process that removes solids and sediments from wastewater by allowing them to settle.

What is secondary wastewater treatment?

Secondary treatment involves aerobic microbial processes that break down organic matter in the wastewater, typically using oxygen to support microbial activity.

What does secondary/tertiary wastewater treatment involve?

Secondary/tertiary treatment includes anaerobic microbial processes to further degrade organic matter and remove additional pollutants in the wastewater.

What is advanced wastewater treatment?

Advanced treatment processes remove specific pollutants, such as phosphorus (P) or nitrogen (N), to further improve the quality of treated wastewater

What is Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in wastewater treatment?

BOD measures the efficiency of the treatment process in reducing organic and inorganic materials in wastewater by assessing the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms during treatment.

What is the purpose of an anaerobic sludge digester in wastewater treatment?

An anaerobic sludge digester is used to break down organic material in sludge in the absence of oxygen, producing methane, which can be used as a renewable energy source.