Economic Significance of

Microorganisms

Microorganisms
Microorganisms are small living things that can
only be seen under high power microscope.
Microorganisms include:

Virus
Bacteria
Protozoa
Microscopic Fungi
Microscopic Algae

Use of Micro-organisms in environment

1. Fixation of atmospheric nitrogen
2. Decomposition of organic wastes and residues
3. Suppression of soil-borne pathogens
4. Recycling and increased availability of plant nutrients
5. Degradation of toxicants including pesticides
6. Production of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds
7. Production of simple organic molecules for plant uptake
8. Complexation of heavy metals to limit plant uptake
9. Solubilization of insoluble nutrient sources
10. Production of polysaccharides to improve soil
aggregation

Beneficial Microorganisms

Antibiotics
Food Production
Soil Fertility and Bacteria and
Fungi
Combating Pollution

Antibiotics
Antibiotic is chemical substance produced
by microorganisms that can kill or inhibit
the growth of other microorganisms.
Antibiotics kill or inhibit other organisms
by interfering the metabolic process in the
bacterium that is not found in the host.

Penicillin
conidia

phialides

conidiophores

Food Production
Fermentation:
C2H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + energy
Dairy Products: cheese, yogurt and butter
Wine and bread: yeast (Saccharomyces
cerevisaea)

Soil Fertility and Bacteria

and Fungi

 Formation of Humus:
Organic compounds are decomposed by
saprophytic bacteria.

Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen Ammonia

Nitrifying bacteria
NH4+, NH3 Nitrosomona NO2- nitrobacter NO3-

Combating Against Pollution

Sewage Treatment.
Oil spillage: Pseudomonas sp.can
digest the oil into harmless forms.

Sewage Treatment (1)

Primary treatment
In the sewage treatment plant the
solid organic matter is moved from
the sewage as sludge which may be
treated further to form fertilizer.

Sewage Treatment (2)

Secondary treatment:
The organic matter left in solution
and suspension are decomposed
rapidly by the added microorganisms (e.g. Bacillus,
Pseudomonas, Vorticella )

Sewage Treatment (3)

Tertiary treatment:
Finally all the micro-organisms are
killed by adding chlorine to the
effluent of the treated sewage which
can run into the rivers without
causing any pollution problems.

Water Treatment of HK

Microorganism in other
productions
vaccines
amino acid
Enzymes (invertase)
Vitamins (e.g. B2)

Harmful Organisms
Causing Diseases.
Food Spoilage.

This orange is covered by fungus.

Source from: Microbiology: Essentials and Application (2nd Ed.).

A child infected by mumps.

Source from : Microbiology: Essentials and Applications. (2nd Ed.)

Microorganisms and
Diseases
Pathogens are microorganisms that cause
disease in animals and crops.
Any organisms that carry pathogen from
one living organism to another is called
vector.

Virus
Virus cause diseases by disturbing the
homeostatic condition of the host cells.

Viral diseases
Plant virus: Tobacco Mosaic Virus
Human diseases caused by virus:
-Small pox
-Measles
-Influenza
-Hepatitis B
-AIDS

AIDS
Acquire Immune Deficiency Symptom.
It is caused by Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV).
Affects T-helper cells, making body defense
system unable to combat against disease.
Mainly spread through sexual intercourse
and blood transfer.

HIV bud from the surface of

an infected Helper T cell

Hepatitis B

Pathogenic Bacteria
Pathogenic bacteria caused diseases by:
destroy the body tissues of the host directly
excrete toxins
release toxin from cell wall after death

Diseases caused by bacteria:

Cholera, Typhoid fever

Pneumonia, Whooping cough, Tuberculosis
Gonorrhea, Syphilis
Food poisoning

The Structure of Bacteria

E.coli

Fungal Diseases
-Fungal diseases are called mycoses which
affect the skin, nails and hair follicles

Methods to control the

spread of diseases
1. Prevention
Personal and Public hygiene
Immunization
2. Treatment
Chemotherapy
Surgery

Food Preservation
Spoilage of food is caused by saprophytic
bacteria.
Basic principle of food preservation:
Killing the microorganisms in food;
Stopping or inhibiting their growth.

Pickling of Food.
Source from: Biology: A Modern approach. (2nd Ed.)

Food Preservation Techniques

Thermal Processing
Refrigeration
Drying
Food Additives
Canning
Smoking

Thermal Processing

Heating

Pasteurization

Refrigeration

Drying

Food Additive

Canning

Smoking