Introduction Beside several kinds of plants and animals, there are other living organisms around us which could not be seen by naked eyes. These are called microorganisms or micrabes. These microorganisms or microbes are so small in size that they cannot be seen with the unaided eye. Micro organisms as observed under microscopeWe need a microscape to observe them.They are generally found in air, water and soil. Microorganisms are used for various purposes. They are used in the preparation of curd, bread and cake. They are also used in cleaning up of the environment. In agriculture they are used to increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. Elemental form of nitrogen cannot be used by directly from atmosphere by plants. It has to be first converted into nitrates and nitrites. This conversion is known as nitrogen fixation and it is done by micro organisms like nitrosomonas, nitrobacter etc. Nitrobacter NitrosomonasThey can also be harmful as many of them can cause diseases in human beings, animals or plants. Thus they are of different types.Types of Micro-Organisms Microorganisms are classified into four major groups, Bacteria: They are the smallest and oldest living organisms existing on the earth. They are unicellular and prokaryotic organisms They have different type of shape like rod- shaped (bacilli), spherical (cocci) and spiral (spirilla).. sgExamples of Different Shaped Bacteria Bacilli- E. coli: Cocci- Streptococcus aureus;Spirilli- Clostridium: Fungus growing on breadThey are a group of diverse organisms that lack chlorophyll like animals and feed on decaying matter. They have a cell wall like the plants. They are eukaryotic and multicellular organisms which live in colonies. Yeast and moulds are examples of microscopic fungi. Aspergillus (Yeast) Bread Mould (Mould) Penicillium v@ast}—Protozoa They are a group of animal-like, single-celled organisms. They are eukaryotic organisms like Amoeba, Paramoecium, Euglena etc. Food Vacuole MacronucieusPlasma peed eee rer) ee Pe eee) BiceAlgae They are a group of simple plants because they can synthesize their own food. They are unicellular, eukaryotic organisms which live in colonies. Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, spirogyra and diatoms are examples of microscopic algaeVirus Another category of microorganisms is Viruses. They are neither living nor non-living, hence comes at the border line of living and non living organisms. Virus under Microscope:They need a living system to grow which serves as a host system. When they are outside the host they cannot grow, hence are non-living then. They reproduce only inside the cells of the host organism, which may be a bacterium, plant or animal Common ailments like cold, influenza (flu) and most coughs are caused by viruses. Serious diseases like herpes, AIDS, polio and chicken pox etc are also caused by viruses. The host of these viruses is human being. HIV VirusBacteriophage is also a type of bacterial virus. Hatchet Hexagonal Base Piste BacteriophageHabitat of Microorganisms Microorganisms may be single-celled like bacteria, some algae and protozoa, or multicellular, such as algae and fungi. They could be found in air, soil or water with varied conditions like ice cold climate to hot springs and deserts to marshy lands. Microorganisms can easily adapt to different conditions. They are present everywhere (ubiquitous). Some microorganism like amoeba can live alone. While fungi and bacteria may live in colonies.Uses of MicroorganismsMaking of Curd and Bread: Curd contains several microorganisms. The bacterium, Lactobacillus promotes the formation of curd. It multiplies in milk and converts it into curd. Curd Lactobacillus Bacteria are also involved in the making of cheese, pickles and many other food items.Commercial Use of Microorganism: Yeast is used in distilleries for commercial production of alcohol and wine. Process of conversion of sugar into alcohol is known as fermentation. Yeast is also used in the baking industry for making breads, pastries and cakes. GA os ' Bread Fresh Yeast Dried Yeast Yeast reproduces rapidly and produces carbon dioxide during respiration. This gas (carbon dioxide) fills in the dough and increases the volume. Hence makes the dough soft and spongy.Medicinal Use of Microorganisms: * Medically microbes can help in the treatment or by preventing us from diseases. * Some of them can produce substances called antibiotics which help in the treatment of diseases. Some can be used for preparing vaccines which provides us prevention against various specific diseases, Antibiotics (in capsule) Vaccine with syringeAntibiotics Medicines produced by living organisms which kill or stop the growth of the other disease- causing microorganisms are called antibiotics Discovery of antibiotics: Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic called penicillin in 1929. He was culturing bacteria in his lab and suddenly found spores of green mould in one of his cultured plate. These spores of fungus inhibited the growth of bacteria and also killed some of the bacteria in that plate. He continued to observe this and later discovered a substance produced by this green mould which inhibits the growth of these bacteria. He called that substance as penicillin as it is produced by the fungi known as Penicillium notadum. Then similar substances were discovered and named as antibiotics.The sources of these medicines are microorganisms. They are produced by living organisms which do not harm themselves but are very toxic for other certain organisms. Thus they either inhibit their growth or kills them. The first antibiotic to be discovered was penicillin whose source is Fungi- penicillium. Other antibiotics like streptomycin and tetracycline are produced by bacteria streptomyces.Vaccine Vaccines are the medical preparations which are injected into the body so as to prevent us against diseases. These vaccines are the dilute solutions containing weakened or dead microbes which are when intreduced in a healthy body activate its immune system to prevent occurrence of disease. These weakened microbes are not pathogenic, they cannot cause disease but can boost our immune system such that it can produce antibodies against it as well as keep it in memory for future response. Thus immune system will remember the microbe without having disease so in future if similar natural pathogenic microbe invades our bady the activated system will recognize and kill it and will not allow it to cause the disease.In general if a disease causing organism, i.e., pathogen enters our body, our immune system gets activated and produces antibodies which neutralizes the effect of pathogen. Thus we are prevented against diseases. Such response is also fed in memory of immune cells, thus if similar pathogen re-enters our body it respond immediately by producing antibodies. Vaccines mimics with these natural invaders as they can expose the immune system to non pathogenic micro organisms without causing any disease and generating memory. This is how vaccine works and protects us from the future attack of pathogenic bacteria. Several diseases, including polio, tuberculosis, smallpox and hepatitis can be prevented by vaccination.Discovery of vaccine: * The small pox vaccine was the first to be discovered successfully by Sir Edward Jenner in 1796. He realized that milkmaids who were exposed to cowpox virus did not catch small pox during epidemics. Cowpox is a viral disease found in cattle. Jenner injected the mild samples of cowpox virus in some of the people and found that they were now resistant to the disease small pox. This cowpox virus and smallpox virus belong to same category. The word vaccine has come from the Latin word "vacea” and “vaccinia” which means cow and cowpox respectively. The process of injecting vaccine is known as vaccination. Increasing Soil Fertility: *® Some bacteria and blue green algae-cyanobacteria are able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere to enrich soil with nitrogen and increase its fertility. Examples of cyanobacteria are anabaena, nostoc, lyngbya etc.Cyanobacteri: These microbes are commonly called biological nitrogen fixers. Other organisms increase fertility by forming the nitrates and nitrites or other usable forms of nitrogen. Examples of such bacteria are nitrosomonas, nitrobacter etc. Nitrobacter NitrosomonasCleaning the Environment: Plant and animal waste when disposed in a pit gets decomposed by microorganisms and gets converted to manure. These pits are known as compost pits and the manure produced is called as compost. Compost Pit Compost If composting is done by using worms then it is known as vermicompost. The nutrients released in the process could be used by the plants again. The microorganisms decompose dead organic waste of plants and animals cqgwertung theminto simple substances These substances are again used by ather plants and animals. Microorganisms can be used to degrade the harmful and smelly substances and thereby clean up the environmentBeneficial Microorganisms Some micro organisms play a very important role in maintaining balance between biotic and abiotic components. They are also used in cleaning up of the environment. In agriculture they are used to increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen.Nitrogen Fixation Atmospheric nitrogen cannot be taken directly so they have to be fixed in the soil before it is being used by the plants Nitrogen fixation can be carried out in two ways (1) By microorganisms (2) By lightening Rhizobium residing in the root nodules of leguminous plants and certain blue green algae helps in fixing atmospheric nitrogen, Root nodules of leguminous plantsNitrogen Cycle Our atmosphere has 78% nitrogen gas. Nitrogen is one of the essential constituents of all living organisms as part of proteins, chlorophyll, nucleic acids and vitamins. The atmospheric nitrogen cannot be taken directly by plants and animals. Certain bacteria and blue green algae present in the soil fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert into compounds of nitrogen. Such conversion is known as nitrogen fixation, Once nitrogen is converted into these usable compounds, it can be utilized by plants from the soil through their root system. Nitrogen is then used for the synthesis of plant proteins and other compounds. Animals feeding on plants get these proteins and other nitrogen compounds. This process of utilizing absorbed nitrogen for synthetic purposes is known as assimilation. When plants and animals die, bacteria and fungi present in the soil convert YgiiitPOgenouswastes into nitrogenous compounds to be used by plants again and the process is known as nitrification. Certain other bacteria convert some part of them to nitrogen gas which goes back into the atmosphere and process is known as denitrification. As a result, the percentage of nitrogen in the atmosphere remains more or less constant.Nitrogen Cycle: corn Ares) i | Parts | - a © =m 6 ==Representative diagram of Nitrogen Cycle: Compounds af Nitrogen in the SoilHarmful Microorganisms Some of the microorganisms cause diseases in human beings, plants and animals. Such disease-causing microorganisms are called Pathogen. The diseases which are caused due to entry of a pathogen into a living system are known as infectious diseases. These pathogens can enter the body via different means.Means of Spread: Air: * Air contains micro organisms or pathogens. * These pathogens can enter the body by the infected air we breathe in and suffer from the diseases like cold, cough ete. Ce Spread through airWater: © Water gets contaminated due to addition of waste or mixing of sewage water in fresh water bodies. If the water that we use for drinking or other purposes contains pathogen than we may get infected and suffer from the diseases like dysentery, diarrhoea etc. Spread through waterVectors: Vectors are the animals that can carry the pathogen from a patient and transmit it to the healthy person. For example: houseflies, mosquitoes, dogs etc. Houseflies sit on garbage or unclean surfaces, from where the pathogen sticks to its legs. Further when it sits on clean surface or food it drops the infectants (bacteria) over there. Now if we consume such infected food the pathogen enters the body and causes disease like food poisoning. Mosquitoes suck the blood from a patient suffering from malaria and carry the malarial parasite- plasmodium (protozoa). Further when it bites the healthy person it transmits the pathogen into it and thus spreads the disease malaria.Many other animals can spread other diseases in different ways and are thus known as carriers of disease causing micro organisms.Direct Contact: * —Ifwe come in direct contact with the infected person we can also get infected. * Such direct contact includes handshake, hug, kiss, or a sexual contact. The examples of such diseases are chicken pox, skin infection, AIDS etc.Indirect Contact: * Indirect contact means use of or sharing articles of infected person like food, water, handkerchief etc. The examples of such diseases are chicken pox, cough, cold ete.Some Common Human Diseases caused by Microorganisms: Causative agent Disease Mode of transmission Bacteria Tuberculosis Air Cholera Water/Food Typhoid Water Measles Air Chicken Pox Air/Contact Polio Air/Water Hepatitis A Water Protozoa Malaria MosquitoDisease - causing Microorganisms in Animals: ¢ Anthrax is a dangerous human and cattle disease caused by a bacterium: Foot and mouth disease of cattle is caused by a FMDV virus. Disease - causing Microorganisms in Plants: © Several microorganisms cause diseases in plants like wheat, rice, potato, sugarcane, orange, apple and others. This can lead to reduced yield of crop.Some Common Plant Diseases caused by Microorganisms: Causative agent Mode of Transmission Bacteria Citrus canker Air Virus Yellow vein mosaic of bhindi (Okra) Insect Fungi Rust of wheat Air, seedsf okra (bhindi)General Preventive Measures for Control of Diseases in Humans: Keep the surroundings clean. Don't allow water to get collected in the surroundings. Keep the patient in isolated conditions. Keep the personal belongings of the patient away from those of the others. Maintain personal hygiene and good sanitary habits. Consume properly cooked food and boiled drinking water.Drink boiled drinking water Use mosquito net and repellents. Spray insecticides and control breeding of mosquitoes by not allowing water to collect in the surrounding, Vaccination to be given at suitable age.Food Preservation Microorganisms spoil our food. Spoiled food emits bad smell and has a bad taste and changed color. The common methods to preserve food Chemical Method: Salts and edible oils are the common chemicals generally used to check the growth of microorganisms. Therefore they are called preservatives. Sodium Benzoate and Sadium Metabisulphite are common preservatives. Preservation by Sugar: © Sugar reduces the moisture content which inhibits the growth of bacteria which spoil food.Preservation by Oil and Vinegar: ¢ Use of oil and vinegar prevents spoilage of pickles because bacteria cannot live in such an environment. Vegetables, fruits, fish and meat are often preserved by this method Heat and Cold Treatments: Boiling kills many microorganisms. Low temperature inhibits the growth of microbes. Pasteurized milk can be consumed without boiling as itis free from harmful microbes. The milk is heated to about 70°C for 15 to 30 seconds and then suddenly chilled and stored By doing so, it prevents the growth of microbes. It is called pasteurization. This process was discovered by Louis Pasteur.Storage and Packing: Generally the food material is stored at low temperature. The temperature varies with the type of food material. The low temperature will not allow the microbes to grow as it inactivates the enzymes that catalyse the biochemical reactions. Thus stopping the life processes of such living organisms and preventing the food material from damage. These days dry fruits and even vegetables are sold in sealed air tight packets to prevent the attack of microbes. When it is stored in air tight conditions the oxygen supply will be affected and will also effect the growth of organisms. Thus when food is stored in air tight containers and stored at low temperature it can prevent it from damage fora longer time.Key Words Microorganisms/Microbes: * Organisms that are very small in size and are visible only through a microscope are called microorganisms or microbes. Fermentation: * The process of conversion of a sugar into an acid or an alcohol by the action of microorganisms is called fermentation. Pathogens: * Microorganisms that cause diseases in human beings, animals, and plants are called pathogens Communicable diseases: . Diseases that can spread from one person to another are called communicable diseases.Food preservation: * The process of treating and handling food with an aim to stop or slow down its spoilage while maintaining its nutritional value, texture, and flavour is called food preservation. Pasteurization: * The method of food preservation that involves heating a foodstuff to a high temperature and then cooling it rapidly is called pasteurization. Nitrogen fixation: * Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into nitrite and nitrate biologically or physically which can be absorbed by plants. Microscope: * An instrument used to magnify the image of minute organisms.Antibiotic * Chemical substances produced by living organisms which kill or stop the growth of the other disease-causing microorganisms are called antibiotics Vaccine: * The dilute solutions containing weakened or dead microbes which are when introduced in a healthy body activate its immune system to prevent occurrence of disease. Vaccination: * The process of injecting vaccine in a host body so as to boost up the immune system to prevent the occurrence of disease. Infectious diseases: . Diseases which are caused to entry of foreign particles like microorganisms in bady. Vector: * The animals that can carry the pathogen from a patient and transmit it to the healthy. persou.