Understandings:
- Microorganisms are metabolically diverse.
- Microorganisms are used in industry because they are small and have a fast growth rate.
- Pathway engineering optimizes genetic and regulatory processes within microorganisms.
- Pathway engineering is used industrially to produce metabolites of interest.
- Fermenters allow large-scale production of metabolites by microorganisms.
- Fermentation is carried out by batch or continuous culture.
- Microorganisms in fermenters become limited by their own waste products.
- Probes are used to monitor conditions within fermenters.
- Conditions are maintained at optimal levels for the growth of the microorganisms being cultured.
Applications and skills:
- Application: Deep-tank batch fermentation in the mass production of penicillin.
- Application: Production of citric acid in a continuous fermenter by Aspergillus niger and its use as a preservative and flavouring.
- Application: Biogas is produced by bacteria and archaeans from organic matter in fermenters.
- Skill: Gram staining of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
- Skill: Experiments showing zone of inhibition of bacterial growth by bactericides in sterile bacterial cultures.
- Skill: Production of biogas in a small-scale fermenter.
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Theory of knowledge:
- Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in England in 1928, on a discarded petri dish. To what extent was Dr Fleming’s discovery a lucky observation, or do we only perceive what we are open to?
Utilization:
- Syllabus and cross-curricular links:
- Biology
- Topic 2.1 Molecules to metabolism
- Topic 4.3 Carbon cycling
- Topic 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
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