MICROBES IN

HUMAN
WELFARE
 Introduction

Microbes are present everywhere – in soil, water, air, inside our

bodies and that of other animals and plants.

They are present even at sites where no other life-form could

possibly exist–sites such as -
• deep inside the geysers (thermal vents) where the
temperature may be as high as 100 0C,
• deep in the soil, under the layers of snow several metres thick,
and in highly acidic environments.
Introduction

Rod shaped bacteria

Spherical shaped bacteria

Rod shaped bacteria

showing flagilla
 Introduction

Bacteriophage Adenovirus

Rod shaped Tobacco Mosaic Virus

 Introduction

Microbes like bacteria and many fungi can be grown on nutritive

media to form colonies, that can be seen with the naked eyes.

Colonies of bacteria Fungal colony growing

growing in a petri dish in a petri dish
Microbes In Household Products

CURD

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) - Lactobacillus

It grows in milk and converts it to curd by producing acids that

coagulate and partially digest the milk proteins.

A small amount of curd added to the fresh milk as inoculum or

starter contain millions of LAB.
improves its nutritional quality by increasing vitamin B12 .
LAB play very beneficial role in checking disease causing microbes.
Microbes In Household Products
DOSA & IDLI

The dough, which is used for making foods such as dosa and
idli is also fermented by bacteria.

The puffed-up appearance of dough is due to the production of

CO2 gas.
Microbes In Household Products
BREAD

Bread, is fermented by using baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces

cerevisiae).

The holes in the bread is due to production of CO2.

Microbes In Household Products
TODDY

A traditional drink of some

parts of southern India is made
by fermenting sap from palms.

Microbes are also used to ferment fish, Soyabean and Bamboo

shoots to make foods.
 Microbes In Household Products

Cheese
CO2
Cheese, is one of the oldest food items.
a) Swiss cheese :-
Produced by :-
Propionibacterium sharmanii (bacterium)
It is hard cheese.
The large holes are due to production of a
large amount of CO2 by bacteria.

b) Roquefort cheese:-
Produced by :- Penicillium roqueforti (fungi)
It is semi hard cheese.
The ‘Roquefort cheese’ are ripened by
growing a specific fungi on them, which
gives them a particular flavour.
Question Conversion of milk to curd improves its nutritional value by increasing
the amount of :- NEET UG 2018

(1) Vitamin D
(2) Vitamin A
(3) Vitamin B12
(4) Vitamin E
Microbes In Industrial Products

Fermentor Fermentation Plant

 Microbes In Industrial Products

Fermented Beverages

Beverages like wine, beer, whisky, brandy or rum (contains ethanol).

Malted Cereals/ Saccharomyces

Alcohol
Fruit Juices cerevisiae
Brewer’s Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used for commercial
production of ethanol.

S. cerevisiae is known as Baker’s yeast and Brewer’s yeast.

It is used for fermenting malted cereals and fruit juices, to produce

ethanol.
 Microbes In Industrial Products

Fermented Beverages

Alcoholic drinks formation is dependent on :-

(a) Type of the raw material used for fermentation.

Barley is used to produce Beer.

Grape juice is used to produce Wine.

 Microbes In Industrial Products

Fermented Beverages
Alcoholic drinks formation is dependent on :-
(b) The type of processing (with or without distillation)

Wine and beer are produced without distillation.

Whisky, brandy and rum are produced by distillation of the

fermented broth (culture medium).

Distillation is the process of separating alcohol from

water via evaporation and condensation.
Microbes In Industrial Products

Antibiotics
Antibiotics
Anti → Against biotics → Life
Anti is a Greek word that means ‘against’, and bio means ‘life’,
together they mean ‘against life’ (in the context of disease
causing organisms).

With reference to human beings, antibiotics are ‘pro life’ and not
against.
Microbes In Industrial Products

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are chemical substances, which are produced by

some microbes and can kill or retard the growth of other
(disease-causing) microbes.

This was one of the most significant discoveries of the

twentieth century.
Microbes In Industrial Products
Antibiotics

Penicillin was the first antibiotic to be discovered.

It was a by chance discovery.

Discovered by :- Alexander Fleming

Alexander Fleming
Worked on :- Staphylococci bacteria.

While working on Staphylococci bacteria, once observed a

mould (fungus) growing in one of his unwashed culture plates
around which Staphylococci could not grow.
He found that it was due to a
chemical produced by the fungus,
and he named it Penicillin after
the fungus Penicillium notatum.
Microbes In Industrial Products
Antibiotics
Full potential of Penicillin as an effective antibiotic was
established much later by Ernest Chain and Howard Florey.

This antibiotic was extensively used to treat American

soldiers wounded in World War II.

Fleming, Chain and Florey were awarded the

Nobel Prize in 1945, for this discovery.
Microbes In Industrial Products
Antibiotics

Deadly diseases

Plague

Whooping cough (kali khansi)

Diphtheria (Gal ghotu)

Leprosy (Kusht rog)

Today, we cannot imagine a world without antibiotics.

Microbes In Industrial Products
Organic acid

S. No. Organic acid Microbes Type of Microbes

1 Citric acid Aspergillus niger Fungus
2 Acetic acid Acetobacter aceti Bacteria
3 Butyric acid Clostridium butylicum Bacteria
4 Lactic acid Lactobacillus sp. Bacteria
Question Match List - I with List - II:- NEET UG 2021

List-I List-II
(a) Aspergillus niger (i) Acetic Acid
(b) Acetobacter aceti (ii) Lactic Acid
(c) Clostridium butylicum (iii) Citric Acid
(d) Lactobacillus (iv) Butyric Acid

(a) (b) (c) (d)

(1) (iii) (i) (iv) (ii)

(2) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

(3) (ii) (iii) (i) (iv)

(4) (iv) (ii) (i) (iii)

Question Match the following organisms with the products they produce :-
(a) Lactobacillus (i) Cheese
(b) Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ii) Curd
(c) Aspergillus niger (iii) Citric Acid
(d) Acetobacter aceti (iv) Bread
(v) Acetic Acid
Select the correct option.
(a) (b) (c) (d) NEET UG 2019

(1) (ii) (iv) (v) (iii)

(2) (ii) (iv) (iii) (v)

(3) (iii) (iv) (v) (i)

(4) (ii) (i) (iii) (v)

Question Which of the following is correctly matched for the product produced
by them ? NEET UG 2017

(1) Methanobacterium : Lactic acid

(2) Penicillium notatum : Acetic acid

(3) Sacchromyces cerevisiae : Ethanol

(4) Acetobacter aceti : Antibiotics

Microbes In Industrial Products
Enzymes
Pectinase and Protease :-
Use :- Clarifying bottled juices in industries

Pectinase /Protease

Lipase :-
Use :- In detergent formulations & helpful in removing oily
stains from the laundry.

BEFORE AFTER
Lipase
Microbes In Industrial Products
Enzymes
Streptokinase/ Tissue Plasminogen Activator(TPA)

Obtained by :- Streptococcus (bacteria)

Use :- As a ‘clot buster’

Remove clots from the blood vessels of patients who have
undergone myocardial infarction leading to heart attack.

NOTE: Myocardial infarction means obstruction of blood

supply to heart muscles. Streptokinase
Microbes In Industrial Products
Bioactive Molecules
These molecules have biological activity.

Cyclosporin A :-

Obtained by:- Trichoderma polysporum (Fungus)

Use :- As an immunosuppressive agent in organ-transplant

patients
Microbes In Industrial Products
Bioactive Molecules

These molecules have biological activity.

Statins :-

✓ Produced by:- Monascus purpureus (Yeast)

✓ Use :- As blood-cholesterol lowering agents
✓ It acts by competitively inhibiting the enzyme responsible for
synthesis of cholesterol
Question Which of the following is wrongly matched in the given table ?
NEET I - 2016
Microbe Product Application
(1) Trichoderma Cyclosporin A Immuno suppressive drug
polysporum
(2) Monascus Statins lowering of blood
purpureus cholesterol
(3) Streptococcus Streptokinase removal of clot from
blood vessel
(4) Clostridium Lipase removal of oil stains
butylicum

(1) 1 (2) 2

(3) 3 (4) 4
Question Identify the microorganism which is responsible for the production of
an immune suppressive molecule cyclosporin A? NEET UG - 2022

(1) Clostridium butylicum

(2) Aspergillus niger

(3) Streptococcus cerevisiae

(4) Trichoderma polysporum

Question Match the following columns and select the correct option:-
Column-I Column-II
(a) Clostridium butylicum (i) Cyclosporin-A
(b) Trichoderma polysporum (ii) Butyric Acid
(c) Monascus purpureus (iii) Citric Acid
(d) Aspergillus niger (iv) Blood cholesterol
lowering agent

NEET UG - 2021
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(1) (iv) (iii) (ii) (i)
(2) (iii) (iv) (ii) (i)
(3) (ii) (i) (iv) (iii)
(4) (i) (ii) (iv) (iii)
Sewage Treatment Plant
 Sewage Treatment Plan

(i) Primary treatment : Physical treatment

These treatment steps basically involve physical removal of

particles – large and small from the sewage through filtration
and sedimentation.
These are removed in stages; initially, floating debris is removed
by sequential filtration.
Then the grit (soil and small pebbles) are removed by
sedimentation.
All solids that settle form the primary sludge, the supernatant
forms the effluent.
The effluent from the primary settling tank is taken for
secondary treatment.
 Sewage Treatment Plan

(ii) Secondary Treatment or Biological Treatment

The primary effluent is passed into large aeration tanks, where it

is constantly agitated mechanically, and air is pumped into it.
This allows vigorous growth of useful aerobic microbes into
flocs.
Flocs : Masses of bacteria associated with fungal filaments to
form mesh like structures.
While growing, these microbes consume the major part of the
organic matter in the effluent.
This significantly reduces the BOD of the effluent.
 Sewage Treatment Plan

BOD - Biochemical Oxygen Demand

BOD refers to the amount of the oxygen that would be

consumed if all the organic matter in one liter of water were
oxidized by bacteria.
Higher BOD means more polluted water.
 Sewage Treatment Plan

Once the BOD of sewage or wastewater is reduced significantly,

the effluent is then passed into a settling tank where the
bacterial ‘flocs’ are allowed to sediment. This sediment is called
activated sludge.

A small part of the activated sludge is pumped back into the

aeration tank to serve as the inoculum.
 Sewage Treatment Plan

The remaining major part of the sludge is pumped into large

tanks called anaerobic sludge digesters.

Other kinds of bacteria, which grow anaerobically, digest the

bacteria and fungi present in the sludge.

During this digestion, bacteria produce a mixture of gases such as

methane, hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide. These gases
form biogas and can be used as source of energy as it is
inflammable.
Sewage Treatment Plan

The effluent from the secondary treatment plant is generally

released into natural water bodies like rivers and streams.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has initiated Ganga

Action Plan and Yamuna Action Plan to save these major rivers
of our country from pollution.

Under these plans, it is proposed to build a large number of

sewage treatment plants so that only treated sewage may be
discharged in the rivers.
 Sewage Treatment Plan
A Raw sewage
X Flocs B Primary treatment
Y Activated Sludge E O2 inlet H C Filtration
Z 1° Sludge G M

A C D - - - -
- - -X - Y
Z - - - -- -- -- -
-- -- -- -- - - UV O3
- - - -- - Cl

D Sedimentation
B F
K E 1° Settling Tank
F 2° treatment
G Aeration Tank
H 2° Settling Tank
K Inoculum
L Anaerobic Sludge
Digester
M 3° treatment
L
Question During sewage treatment, biogases are produced which include :-
NEET UG - 2013
(1) Hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen, methane

(2) Methane, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide

(3) Methane, oxygen, hydrogen sulphide

(4) Hydrogen sulphide, methane, sulphur dioxide

Microbes In Biogas Production
Biogas

Biogas is a mixture of gases produced by the microbial activity

and which may be used as fuel.

Composition of biogas :-

Methane (50-70%) (Main Gas)

CO2(30-40%)
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Hydrogen sulphide
Microbes In Biogas Production
Biogas

Microbes used (Bacteria) :-

Methanogens (Methanobacterium)

It grows anaerobically.

These bacteria are commonly found in :-

1 The anaerobic sludge during sewage treatment.

2 Gut of several ruminant animal such as cows and buffaloes.

Microbes In Biogas Production
Biogas Plant
Gas

Gas- holder

Dung Water Sludge

(CH4+CO2+…)

Digester
Microbes In Biogas Production
Process

Cow dung
(cellulose)

1st step Slow Step (Rate determining Step/ enzymatic)

Monomer
units
2nd step Partially aerobic conditions
Organic acid (acetic
acid)
3rd step Anaerobic conditions (Methanogens action)

Biogas (Methane)
Microbes In Biogas Production
Biogas Plant

1. Collection tank :- concrete tank of 10-15 feet deep in size.

2. Floating cover :- Placed over the slurry which keeps on rising
as the gas is produced in the tank due to the microbial activity.
3. Outlet :- is connected to a pipe to supply biogas to nearby
houses.

Biogas (gobar gas) plant developed by :-

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and Khadi and
Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
Question The primitive prokaryotes responsible for the production of biogas
from the dung of ruminant animals, include the :- NEET II 2016

(1) Halophiles

(2) Thermoacidophiles

(3) Methanogens

(4) Eubacteria
Question Which of the following statements about methanogens is not correct ?
NEET UG 2019
(1) They can be used to produce biogas.

(2) They are found in the rumen of cattle and their excreta

(3) They grow aerobically and breakdown cellulose-rich food.

(4) They produce methane gas.

Microbes as Biocontrol Agents
Biological Control of Pests & Diseases

Contrary to the ‘conventional’ farming practices which often use

chemical methods to kill both useful and harmful life forms
indiscriminately.
This is a holistic approach that seeks to develop an
understanding of the webs of interaction between the myriad of
organisms that constitute the field fauna and flora.
Microbes as Biocontrol Agents
Biological Control of Pests & Diseases
Biocontrol refers to the use of biological methods for controlling
plant diseases and pests.

(a) Ladybird (Insect) :-

Beetle with red and black
markings.
Useful to get rid of aphids.

Ladybird Aphid

(b) Dragonflies (Insect) :-

Useful to get rid of mosquitoes.

Dragonflies Mosquitoes
 Microbes as Biocontrol Agents
Biological Control of Pests & Diseases
(c) Bacillus thuringiensis (Bacteria)
Toxin produced by this bacterium kills many insects.
Control - butterfly caterpillars.

Spore
Sachet
Butterfly Caterpillars
(d) Trichoderma (Fungi)
Free-living fungi.
Present in the root ecosystems.
Used in the treatment of plant diseases.
Effective against several plant pathogens.
Microbes as Biocontrol Agents

Biological Control of Pests & Diseases

(e) Baculovirus :-

They are member of genus Nucleopolyhedrovirus.

Baculoviruses are pathogens that attack insects and other

arthropods.

✓ Species – specific – Acts on particular species of insect .

✓ Narrow spectrum insecticide – Effective against only a
limited range of insects.

They have been shown to have no negative impacts on plants,

mammals, birds, fish or even on non-target insects.
Microbes as Biocontrol Agents

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

This programme is applied when beneficial insects are being

conserved.

It is applied when ecologically sensitive area is being treated.

In IPM (Integrated Pest Management) those biocontrol agents

are used which are species – specific and target specific.
 Microbes as Biofertiliser

Biofertilisers are organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil
(organic farming).

(1) Bacteria as a biofertiliser

(a) Rhizobium :-
It forms symbiotic association
with root nodules of
leguminous plants.
These bacteria fix atmospheric
nitrogen into organic forms.

(b) Azospirillum and Azotobacter :-

Free-living bacteria. Rhizobium
bacteria in
They can fix atmospheric nodule
nitrogen in free-living condition .
 Microbes as Biofertiliser

(2) Fungus (Glomus) as a biofertilizer

Fungi form symbiotic associations

with plants (Mycorrhiza).

Many members of the genus

Glomus form mycorrhiza.
The fungal absorbs phosphorus Glomus
from soil and passes it to the plant.

Other benefits such as :-

Resistance to root-borne pathogens.
Tolerance to salinity and drought.
Overall increase in plant growth and
development.
 Microbes as Biofertiliser

(3) Cyanobacteria as a biofertilizer

Autotrophic microbes, widely distributed in aquatic and

terrestrial environments.

Anabaena, Nostoc , Oscillatoria.

It serves as an important biofertilizer in paddy fields.

It also add organic matter to the soil and increases its

fertility.
Question Which of the following is a free living biocontrol microbial agent for
plant pathogen? NEET II -2016
(1) Mucor
(2) Glomus
(3) Trichoderma
(4) Rhizobium
Question Biological control agent obtained from :- NEET II -2016

(1) Bacillus thuringiensis

(2) E.coli

(3) Agrobacterium tumifaciens

(4) Meloidogyne incognitia

Question Which of the following can be used as a biocontrol agent in the
treatment of plant disease? NEET UG - 2019

(1) Trichoderma

(2) Chlorella

(3) Anabaena

(4) Lactobacillus
Question Among the following pairs of microbes, which pair has both the
microbes that can be used as biofertilizers? NEET UG - 2019

(1) Aspergillus and Rhizopus

(2) Rhizobium and Rhizopus

(3) Cyanobacteria and Rhizobium

(4) Aspergillus and Cyanobacteria

Question A biocontrol agent to be a part of an integrated pest management
should be :- NEET UG - 2019
(1) Species-specific and symbiotic
(2) Free living and broad spectrum
(3) Narrow spectrum and symbiotic
(4) Species-specific and inactive on non-target organisms
Question Select the correct group of biocontrol agents: NEET UG - 2019

(1) Bacillus thuringiensis,Tobacco mosaic virus, Aphids

(2) Trichoderma, Baculovirus, Bacillus thuringiensis

(3) Oscillatoria, Rhizobium, Trichoderma

(4) Nostoc, Azospirillium, Nucleopolyhedrovirus

Question Match the following columns and select the correct option :-
Column-I Column-II
(a) Dragonflies (i) Biocontrol agents of several
plant pathogens
(b) Bacillus thuringiensis (ii) Get rid of Aphids and
mosquitoes
(c) Glomus (iii) Narrow spectrum insecticidal
applications
(d) Baculoviruses (iv) Biocontrol agents of
lepidopteran plant pests
(v) Absorb phosphorus from soil
(1) (a)-(iii), (b)-(v), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i) NEET UG - 2020
(2) (a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iii), (d)-(iv)
(3) (a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(v)
(4) (a)-(ii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(v), (d)-(iii)