Name:
Summary Sheet: Biotechnology
Living Factories
Yeast
What is yeast? ______
What two products can be produced using yeast?
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Write out the word equation for fermentation
Fermentation is also known as anaerobic respiration. Fill in the table looking at the differences between aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
Characteristic / Aerobic respiration / Anaerobic respirationSubstrate
Requirement of oxygen
products
Brewing
Beer is made by yeast fermenting barley grains. However, the substance which is present in barley gains, a seed, is starch and yeast can not ferment this(yeast can only ferment simple sugars like maltose). Explain what brewers do to overcome this problem. ______
When beer is brewed it is done so in large fermentation vessels. In these vessels the yeast ferments the maltose from the barley grain into alcohol. However, yeast is a living organism and for it to ferment maltose it must be provided with the correct conditions. Fill in the table about how brewers provide these conditions.
Condition required / Way it is providedFood supply
Suitable temperature
Lack of competition
Milk
Cheese and yoghurt are produced using the activity of bacteria.
What happens to milk to produce yoghurt? ______
Write out the word equation for the fermentation of milk by bacteria.
What are the differences between the production of yoghurt and milk? ______
Problems and Profit with Waste
Sewage
Untreated sewage can be very destructive to the environment. Describe examples of how it is destructive.
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Untreated sewage can also cause diseases, list examples of these diseases.
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Sewage treatment
The various stages of sewage treatment are shown below.
1. Screening (large objects filtered out)
2. Grit removal
3. Primary settlement (sewage held for 6hours to separate liquid from sludge)
4. The liquid (effluent) is passed either to the biological filtration unit or activated sludge process.
Explain biological filtration. ______
Explain the activated sludge process. ______
5. The purified liquid goes to a final settlement tank where it is left to settle. Any sludge formed at the bottom is called activated sludge and it removed (either to the activated sludge process or the sludge settlement tank. The liquid is now released into a river.
6. In the sludge treatment tank a useful substance is produced what is it? ______
7. Sludge is then disposed in the sea dug underground after treatment to kill pathogens.
Why is the complete breakdown of sewage only possible in aerobic conditions? ______
Why is a range of microorganism required in the breakdown of sewage? ______
Sterile techniques
Fill in the table about the precautions which are taken when handling microorganisms.
Precaution / ReasonResistant spores (bacterial and fungal)
When conditions become unfavourable microbes try to protect their populations by producing endospores which are resistant to high temperatures, drying out, pH changes, disinfectants that are normally fatal. How do humans destroy these endospores to ensure equipment is sterile? ______
Other uses of microorganisms;
Decay/nutrient cycling
Microbes play a big part in the recycling of nutrients. Draw out the carbon and nitrogen cycles. (highlighting where bacteria are involved)
Nitrogen cycle
Carbon cycle
Upgrading waste
Bacteria and yeast can also be used to upgrade waste (making waste into a more useful substance)
Give two examples of useful products produced in this way.
1. Product: ______
Waste product produced from: ______
Economic importance: ______
1. Product: ______
Waste product produced from: ______
Economic importance: ______
In what two ways can microorganisms add quality to these waste substances?
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Fuel
Fermentation can result in the production of alcohol which where mixed with petrol can produce gasohol a potential fuel source.
Fuel can also be produced by the fermentation of what substance by bacteria? ______
Protein rich food
A high percentage of a bacterial cell is protein. Certain harmless bacteria can be grown in high numbers then killed and dried to produce a protein rich powder which can be fed to animals like calves and chicken.
Some fungi can also be used to produce protein rich food which humans eat. What is this protein called?______
Bacteria can grow in very high numbers when given suitable conditions, what type of reproduction occurs in microbes? ______
Reprogramming microbes
Genetic engineering.
Bacterial activity is controlled by chromosomal material in the cell. Humans can alter this material in order to control what substances bacterial cells produce. This is known as genetic engineering. Make a list of substances which can be produced from bacteria in this way.
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Draw a labelled diagram showing the process involved in inserting a piece of human DNA into a bacterial plasmid and production of the required product.
What are the advantages of making bacteria producing these products?
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Biological detergents.
Explain how biological washing powder differs from non biological washing powder? ______
What are the advantages of using biological washing powders over non biological washing powders?
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Antibiotics
What is an antibiotic? ______
What are the two reasons for needing a large range of antibiotics?
1. ______
2. ______
Immobilisation
Enzymes and cells can be immobilised on beads what are the advantages of this method?
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Fill in the table about batch processing and continuous flow?
Continuous flow / Batch processWhat the process involves
Advantages
Disadvantages
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