Importance of Bacteria
• Lab
• Pictures
• Food Production
• Industrial uses
• Ecological roles
• Disease
What is the difference between
Antiseptic and Disinfectant?
• Antiseptic is an agent that is applied to
living tissue or skin that kills any
microbiological organisms present
• Disinfectant is an agent that is applied to
any non-living surface to kill any
microbiological organisms present
• Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Basin is a beautiful example of a hot
spring. It is 300 feet across and its blue center is the product of
uncommonly pure water bubbling up into the pool's center. All of
the other colors are the product of photosynthetic, thermophilic
(heat loving) bacteria flourishing in the boiling water. These
bacteria survive temperatures ranging from 147°F (64°C) to 225°F
(107°C).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjvHOhGvqb4
• The thin pink strands in the picture above are chemotrophic bacteria
that derive their energy from the chemicals they eat. These bacteria
feed on sulfides in the hot spring water, in much the same way as
the bacteria that thrive near deep–sea hydrothermal vents.
Rockin’ Bacteria
Salt Flats
Food Production
• Ever heard of probiotics?
– So many different benefits
• Cheese production through fermentation
• Make vinegar from wine
Industrial Uses
• Cleaning up oil spills – bacteria digest
petroleum
• Sewage decomposition – remove poisons
and waste products from water
• Mining
• Synthesising drugs through genetic
recombination
– insulin
Ecological Roles
• Nitrogen fixers (next slide)
• Symbiotic relationships with other
organisms – one or both organisms benefit
– plants
– E. coli in our intestines
– Cattle require bacteria to break down
cellulose
Nitrogen Cycle
• Plants and animals cannot use the N2 from
the air
• Making NH3 is expensive and dangerous
• Bacteria do the work for us!
Homework!
• Test on Friday!
• Tomorrow finish lab, intro to microscope