Applications of Micro-organisms

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering definitions, technical terms, microbial applications, diseases, and processes from Chapter 1: Applications of Micro-organisms.

Micro-organisms

Unicellular or multicellular living organisms with a simple structure that cannot be seen clearly with the naked eye.

Bacteria

A category of unicellular, microscopic organisms exhibiting different body shapes that are widely spread across every type of environment on Earth.

Fungi

A group of unicellular or multicellular organisms that thrive on moist substrates, some of which possess reproductive organs visible to the naked eye (such as mushrooms).

Protozoa

Unicellular, microscopic organisms living in aquatic environments and inside other living organisms that utilize structures like cilia, pseudopodia, and flagella for locomotion.

Algae

Unicellular or multicellular photosynthetic organisms with filamentous or thallus body forms that possess chlorophyll.

Phytoplanktons

Microscopic algae that float on the surface of water.

Virus

Electron microscopic entities lacking cellular organization that display both living and non-living characteristics, multiplying only inside living host cells without showing respiration or growth.

Substrate

A specific biological or physical surface/medium (such as meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, human skin, or alimentary canal) upon which micro-organisms grow.

Erwinia uredovora

A bacterium whose genes are introduced into rice to develop Golden Rice enriched with vitamin A.

Bacillus thuringiensis

A bacterium whose genes are incorporated into the Zea mays genome to produce toxins against crop pests, and which is also used as a biological control to destroy dengue mosquito larvae.

Nitrogen fixation

The biological process by which atmospheric nitrogen (which forms $78\%$ of the atmosphere) is absorbed directly and converted into usable forms by specialized bacteria.

Rhizobium

A genus of nitrogen-fixing bacteria that lives symbiotically in the root nodules of leguminous plants like beans and peas to absorb atmospheric nitrogen directly.

Azotobacter

A free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium added directly to cultivated soil as a bio-fertilizer to enrich nutrient content.

Bio fertilizers

Substances that enrich the soil with vital nutrients through the activity of living micro-organisms.

Compost

An organic fertilizer prepared by the rapid microbial decomposition of organic matter by bacteria and fungi, systematically adding minerals to the soil.

Bio-pesticides

Living micro-organisms deployed to combat and control agricultural insect pests and invasive weeds without chemical pesticides.

Alternaria

A fungus utilized as a bio-pesticide to suppress and combat the invasive aquatic weed Salvinia.

Antibiotics

Chemical substances synthesized within the body of a microbe to destroy or inhibit the growth of other micro-organisms (effective against bacteria and fungi, but ineffective against viruses).

Penicillin

An antibiotic discovered by Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming, produced commercially from the fungus Penicillium notatum.

Vaccine

A medical preparation containing weakened microbes, killed microbes, microbial toxins, or genetically engineered microbial body parts that stimulates immunity against specific diseases.

Toxins

Harmful biochemical substances synthesized and released by pathogenic bacteria that impair the biological activities of the host.

Anti toxins

Protective medical formulations synthesized using bacterial toxins that have had their dangerous toxic components neutralized or removed (e.g., tetanus toxoid vaccine).

Industrial Microbiology

The branch of science and technology involving the utilization of diverse micro-organism strains in industrial processes for economic production and research.

Biogas

A renewable fuel composed primarily of methane gas, generated by anaerobic bacteria (such as Methanococcus and Methanobacterium) decomposing organic materials like cow dung and straw.

Bio-leaching

A simple and efficient technology that utilizes specific microbes (such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans) to extract metals like uranium and copper from low-grade ores.

Pectinase

A bacterial enzyme that digests the pectate binding plant fibres together, facilitating fibre extraction in plants such as coconut, hemp, palmyrah, and agave.

Bio-remediation

The application of microbial technology to decompose, neutralize, or extract environmental pollutants from soil, air, and aquatic systems.

Pseudomonas

A bacterial genus released onto ocean surfaces that produces enzymes capable of degrading hydrocarbons to clean up marine oil spills.

Pathogen

Any disease-causing micro-organism, such as certain species of bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa.

Vector

An organism (such as a mosquito or sand fly) that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen from a reservoir to a host.

Host

An organism whose internal or external body serves as the biological substrate supporting the growth and multiplication of a pathogen.

Leishmaniasis

A protozoan disease transmitted by the bite of the sand fly that enters through open skin lesions, causing symptoms including skin ulcers, fever, reduced red blood cell counts, and liver enlargement.

Powdery mildew disease

A plant disease caused by a fungal pathogen characterized by the appearance of a white or gray powdery coating across leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits.

Late blight

A fungal plant disease commonly striking potato crops, characterized by the formation of brown leaf spots that turn black before killing the whole plant.

Wilting

A plant condition caused by bacterial or fungal infection of xylem tissue, disrupting water transport and leading to withering and death.

Food spoilage

The breakdown of food quality caused by microbial multiplication and secretion of toxins, altering physical properties (softness, color, taste, odor) and chemical compositions to render food unfit for consumption.

Fermentation (in food spoilage)

The chemical breakdown and decomposition of carbohydrates in food brought about by microbial activity.

Putrefaction (in food spoilage)

The chemical decomposition and foul-smelling rotting of proteins in food induced by micro-organisms.

Rancidification (in food spoilage)

The chemical alteration, breakdown, and oxidation of lipids and fats in food caused by microbial action.

Biological weapons

Microbial toxins or pathogenic strains of viruses and bacteria (such as Bacillus anthracis) deployed intentionally for hostile military purposes.