Microbes in medicine
Microbes like bacteria and fungi produce antibiotics. The substance
produced by a living organism, which inhibits the growth and metabolic activities of pathogenic organisms (mostly bacteria) without affecting the metabolism of host is called an antibiotic.
Penicillin, streptomycin, aureomycin and chloromycetin are some of the examples for antibiotics.
Penicillin is a well known antibiotic obtained from the blue green mold called Penicillium notatum. When it is grown in culture medium, the mycelium excretes an antibiotic substance called penicillin.
The crude penicillin is recovered, purified and dehydrated. It is effective against gram-positive bacteria like Pneumonia bacteria.
Streptomycin is obtained from the filamentous bacterium, Streptomyces griseus, an actinomycetes.
It cures urinary infections, tuberculosis, meningitis and pneumonia. Aureomycin mis obtained from actinomycetes, Streptomyces aureofaciens.
It is used as a medicine in the osteomyelitis, whooping cough and eye infections.
Chloromycetin is obtained from the actinomycete, Streptomyces
venezuelae. It kills bacillus form of bacteria and cures typhoid fever.
Aspergillus fumigatus produces antibiotic which is used against typhoid and dysentery.
Other group of microorganism like bacteria is also known
to produce many antibiotics. Bacillus subtilis produces 60 different
antibiotics.
Bacitracin is an antibiotic obtained from Bacillus licheniformis
and it is used to treat syphilis. It is useful in the control of sugar for
persons suffering from diabetes.
Through genetic manipulation, and introduction of human gene for insulin production, the bacterium E. coli is articulated to produce human insulin called “humulin”.
Other links
Plant physiology – photosynthesis and its significance
BIOLOGY IN HUMAN WELFARE Introduction & Food production
Aspects of plant breeding and Types
Hybridization in plant breeding
Polyploid breeding, Mutation breeding, Breeding for disease resistance
Genetic engineering, Improved varieties, Role of biofertilizers
Green manuring, Mycorrhiza as biofertilizer
Crop diseases and their control, Rice – Oryza sativa
Groundnut or peanut – Arachis hypogea
Citrus canker, Tungro disease of rice
Biocontrol of insect pests Bacterial pesticides
Bio war, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in biological warfare
Biopiracy, Bioresources, Biomolecules, Biopatent, Biotechnology
Medicinal plants including microbes
Commonly Available Medicinal Plants
Economic importance of Food plant Rice
Oil plant Groundnut Economic importance
Fibre plant – Cotton Economic importance
Timber yielding plant Teak Economic importance