What kind of impact does bacteria have on the world around you?

HarmfulAffects ofBacteria

HarmfulAffects ofBacteria

Beneficial Affects of Bacteria

Beneficial Affects of Bacteria

Bio-remediation

Bio-remediation

RecyclingRecycling

Nitrogen-Fixing

Nitrogen-Fixing

BacteriaGood or

Bad?

BacteriaGood or

Bad?

What’s so great about bacteria?

• No bacteria = no life

=

Nitrogen-FixingBacteria

• Bacteria consume nitrogen from the air and change it into a form that plants can use to grow.

I love to take in nitrogen!

Nature’s Recyclers

• Bacteria breaks down dead organic matter replacing nutrients in the soil.

Bioremediation

• Bacteria used to combat pollution.• The bacteria change the pollutants into

harmless chemicals.

Ex. Industrial, agricultural, oil spills, etc.

How do humans fight bacteria?

Antibiotics!

Antibiotics

• Are medicines used to kill bacteria and other micro-organisms.

• Genetically engineered.

Ex. Penicillin

Penicillin•One of the first One of the first antibiotics; comes antibiotics; comes

from a fungus from a fungus called penicillium.called penicillium.

Alexander Fleming

• Scottish

• 1929

• Discovered penicillium on agar plates but could not purify it.

Florey and Chain

• British Scientists• 1939-1945 WWII• Developed penicillin on an industrial scale

for the public.• Won the Nobel Peace Prize with Fleming.

How does penicillin kill bacteria?

• The bacteria lengthen, but cannot divide. Eventually the weak cell wall ruptures

http://www.cellsalive.com/pen.htm

Other benefits of bacteria…

Insulin• Engineered bacteria that

produce insulin for diabetes.

• Scientists put genes carrying genetic code for human insulin into E. coli. The bacteria makes human insulin.

Food• Cheese, yogurt,

buttermilk, and sour cream are created by lactic-acid bacteria.

• The bacteria digest mild sugar lactose and converts it into lactic acid. (Which preserves and adds flavor)

Using the Essential Question for this lesson, write or bullet the

answer.