21-05-2014, 12:12 PM
Biology Activity
Micro-organisms
1.Micro-organisms are invisible to the naked eye, you need a powerful microscope to see them.
2.These are everywhere around us, inside us, on us, in our food, in our homes, in the air we breathe and the water we wash in.
3.These are mostly useful, but some are harmful.
4.Have been around for 3.8 bn years.
Rod-Shaped Bacteria “Bacillus”
1.Bacilli are rod-shaped bacteria.
2.Lie coccus bacteria, bacilli can occur singly, in pairs, or in chains.
3.bacillus bacteria include coliform bacteria , which are
used as an indicator of wastewater pollution in water, as well as the
bacteria responsible for typhoid fever.
4.The genus Lactobacillus is mainly found in the intestinal tract of healthy humans and animals as well as in fermenting vegetables or plant materials, such as silage.
Coccus Bacteria
1.Coccus can be used to describe any bacterium that has a spherical shape.
2.It is one of the three distinct types of bacteria shapes, the other two being bacillus and spirillum cells.
3.The term 'coccus' is used in botany to denote a mericarpor 1-seeded segment of a schizocarp.
Vibrio Bacteria
1.Vibrios are bacteria that occur naturally in estuarine and marine waters worldwide.
2.Vibrioare in the same family of bacteria that cause cholera.
3.There are over 80 species of Vibrio bacteria.
4.Vibrio vulni ficus , Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio fluvial is, Vibrio mimicus, and Vibrio alginolyticus are some of the species known to cause infection when people are exposed by open wounds or punctures that occur while swimming, wading, crabbing, or fishing.
Helpful bacteria
Lactobacillus/Döderlein's bacillus
Characteristics: Gram-positive, rod-shaped
Presence: Lactobacilli species are present in milk and dairy products, fermented foods and also form part of our oral, intestinal and vaginal microflora. L. acidophilus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, etc., are some of the most predominant species.
Benefit: Lactobacilli are known for their ability to utilize lactose and produce lactic acid, as a metabolic byproduct. This ability to ferment lactose makes lactobacilli an important ingredient for preparing fermented foods. It is also an important part of the pickling process since lactic acid serves as a preservative. The formation of yogurt from milk is done through what is called, fermentation. Certain strains are even used commercially for the production of yogurt. In mammals, lactobacilli aid the breakdown of lactose during digestion. The resulting acidic environment prevents the growth of other microbes in the body tissues. Being so, lactobacilli are an important part of probiotic formulations.