Question

List down the beneficial uses of bacteria.

Answer 1

Bacteria is the unicellular microorganism. Some are beneficial and some are harmful to us. Some beneficial uses are as follows:

1) Decay and decomposition

Soil bacteria are important to us because they cause decomposition of the organic matter. The dead bodies and organic wastes liberated by the organisms (both of plants and animals) are decomposed by saprophytic bacteria. The decomposition of carbohydrates is caused by bacteria even in the absence of oxygen. The process is called as fermentation.

2) Enhancing soil fertility

Some bacteria maintain the soil fertility and others enhance it by fixing nitrogen. Nitrogen fixing bacteria like Azotobacter, Clostridium live free in the soil and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Rhizobium like bacteria live symbiotically with root systems of leguminous plants and fix the atmosphere nitrogen.

3) Industrial production

The man has utilized the services of bacteria for various industrial purposes. The diary industry solely depends on bacteria. Souring and curdling of milk are done by lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus) for production curd, cheese.

Oxidation of alcohol to vinegar (acetic acid) is done by certain bacteria. The curing of tea, tobacco and indigo are other economically beneficial effect of bacteria.

4) Bacteria in medicine

(a) Antibiotics are prepared from secretions of microorganisms which are selectively toxic. It can be produced from the bacteria and fungi e.g., penicillin, streptomycin

(b) Serums and Vaccines

These are substances obtained from bacteria to develop immunity to various diseases. Serums are used against the diseases like diphtheria, pneumonia etc and vaccines are used against cholera, typhoid etc.

5) Bacteria in genetic engineering and biotechnology

Plasmids that occur in bacteria are important tools in the modern field of biological science called as biotechnology. Genes obtained from the bacteria are transferred and incorporated in other living organisms to develop their disease resistance, productivity, quality etc. A number of genetically modified crops have been developed using bacteria e.g., Bt cotton developed from Bacillus thuringensis.