Cloning and biotechnology

Whats bioremediation?

A process in which microorganisms are used to break down contaminants in land and water like pesticides and oil

What are the advantages of using microorganisms to make food?

reproduce quickly, grow on Wate materials, create healthier, high protein, low cholesterol products and grow in low temperatures

What are the disadvantages of using microorganisms to make food?

contamination can cause food to spoil and is a health risk, people may not want to eat it and food has little flavour

Whats biotechnology?

The use of living organisms to make products for humans

What are the requirements for culturing microorganisms?

nutrients, oxygen, suitable temperature and optimum pH

What happens in the lag phase of a bacteria growth curve?

bacteria take in nutrients to make substances for growth and reproduction

What happens in the exponential phase of a bacteria growth curve?

bacteria grow exponentially

What happens in the stationary phase of a bacteria growth curve?

number of bacteria growing = number of bacteria dying

What happen in the death phase of a bacteria growth curve?

number of bacteria dying is more than the number growing and reproducing

What are primary metabolites?

Things microorganisms produce mainly in the lag and exponential phase, directly involved in growth and reproduction

What are secondary metabolites?

Things microorganisms produce mainly in the stationary and death phase which aren’t directly involved in growth and reproduction

Whats batch fermentation?

When microorganisms are left to read the death phase

Whats continuous fermentation?

When microorganisms are left in the exponential phase

Which type of fermentation is best to collect secondary metabolites?

batch

Which type of fermentation is best to collect primary metabolites?

continuous

What are the parts of a fermenter?

motor, gas outlet, water inlet, stirrer, water outlet and air inlet

What are the four methods of immobilising enzymes?

1. bonding to a surface through absorption

2. bonding to a surface using covalent bonding

3. trapping in a matrix

4. partially permeable membrane to separate from reaction mixture

Whats absorption?

A method of bonding enzymes to a surface using ionic bonds and hydrophobic interactions

Advantages of immobilised enzymes

reduces downstream processing, recovering enzymes means reduced costs and increases temperature tolerance which allows high rates

Disadvantages of immobilising enzymes?

expensive to immobilise, enzymes may detach and may change the enzymes active site shape