Question

Micro-organisms from a part of the environment true or false

Answer 1

Answer:

true

Explanation:

because in degradation micro organism play an important role....due to micro organism present in soil helps plants for growth

Answer 2

Answer:

$\pink{ \mathfrak{True}}$

Microbes can be useful as well as harmful. Certain microbes cause severe infections and diseases and can also spoil food and other materials. While others play an important role in maintaining environmental balance.

Explanation:

$\pink{ \bold{LET'S \: EXPLORE \: MORE}}$

$\green{ \bold{Microbes \: Definition}}$

“Microbes are single-celled organisms that are invisible to the naked eye.”

$\green{ \bold{What \: are \: Microbes?}}$

Microbes are minute, unicellular organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. They are also known as microorganisms or microscopic organisms as they could only be seen under a microscope. They make up almost 60% of the earth’s living matter.

The term “microbes” is used to describe several different life forms with different size and characteristics. few of these microbes include:

• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Protists
• Viruses
• Archaea

$\bold\green{Types \: of \: Microbes }$

$\blue{Bacteria}$

• Bacteria are unicellular, microscopic, prokaryotic microbes that contain no true nucleus.

• Their cell wall is made up of peptidoglycan. They have a flagellum that facilitates locomotion.

• Bacteria are of different types depending on their shapes and sizes. For eg., spherical-shaped bacteria are known as cocci; rod-shaped bacteria are known as bacilli; spiral-shaped, spirilla, etc.

• They reproduce through binary fission, transfer of genetic material through transformation, transduction and conjugation, and through sporulation.

• Bacteria play an important role in human survival. They breakdown nutrients in the digestive system into simpler forms.

• Few bacteria such as Rhizobium are involved in nitrogen fixation.

• They are also used in making antibiotics and can also be used in agriculture as pesticides.

$\blue{Fungi}$

• These can be unicellular or multicellular with the cell wall made of chitin.

• These are heterotrophic and cannot synthesise their own food.

• They comprise membrane-bound organelles.

• Yeasts, moulds, mushrooms are some of the important fungi.

• They decompose dead plants and animals, extracting nutrients from them.

• Few fungi are harmful and cause fungal infections like ringworm. The others are used in making antibiotics like penicillin

$\blue{Viruses}$

• Viruses are a connecting link between living and non-living.

• They are non-cellular microbes composed of protein, nucleic acids, and lipids.

• They are measured in nanometers with size ranging from 20 nanometers to 250 nanometers and could only be seen with an electron microscope.

• They contain the core of nucleotides surrounded by a protein coat which could invade living cells.

• They are active inside host cells and reproduce inside them by infecting living cells.

$\blue{Protists}$

• These are unicellular, microscopic organisms that are neither plants nor animals.

• They may be autotrophic or heterotrophic.

• They reproduce mainly through binary fission or budding.

• This group includes plant-like protists such as algae, animal-like protists such as amoeba, and fungus-like such as slime moulds.

• Protists supply us with oxygen and recycle crucial nutrients to make it available to other life forms.

$\blue{Archaea}$

• These are unicellular organisms and have a structure similar to bacteria.

• Their cell wall is different from bacteria and contains unique lipids that enable them to survive in extreme conditions.

• They are also found in human gut and skin.

$\bold \pink{Useful \: Microorganisms}$

• Extensively used in the baking industry to make cakes, bread, pastry etc.

• Used in the production of milk products. Example: Lactobacillus bacteria is used in the formation of curd from milk

• Since ages, microbes are being used in the production of alcohol

• It is also used to make organic acids. Acids such as citric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acids are made using microbial activity

• Used in the production of steroids

• Antibiotics are produced using microorganisms

• Used in the production of vitamins: Vitamins such as Vitamin B complex, Riboflavin is produced by Ashbya gossypii, Eremothecium ashbyii and Clostridium bytyricum. Ascorbic acid, also known as Vitamin C is produced by species of Acetobacter

• Microorganisms synthesize enzymes such as Lipase, Lactase, Amylase, Pectinase, Penicillinase.

• They increase the fertility of the soil and by fixing nitrogen

• Help in the treatment of sewage

• Extensively used to clean up our environment

• Used in pest control

$\bold \pink{Harmful \: Microorganisms}$

• The microorganisms that cause diseases in living beings are known as pathogens.

• The pathogens can enter our bodies through air, water and food.

• Some pathogens are transmitted directly from an infected person.

• The diseases which are transmitted by an infected person directly or indirectly are known as communicable diseases. For eg., common cold, tuberculosis, etc.

• Microorganisms also grow on food and spoil it. That is why preservatives are added in the food to prevent it from spoilage.