Microbes and Us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Microbes and Us - Essay Example They are capable of utilizing diverse sources of carbon and nitrogen; and have an efficient energy metabolism (Hobson and Stewart, 15). The fermentation products in a glucose medium are succinic, formic and acetic acid (Bryant et al., 18). They are generalists capable of degrading a many carbohydrates except celluloses. Degradation of starch due to amylase activity converts starch into maltose and maltodextrins. The ÃŽ ±-amylases breakdown the carbohydrate chain randomly. Polysaccharides such as xylans and pectins present in plant cell walls are also degraded by caboxymethylcellulase and xylanase activity due to both extracellular and intracellular CM-cellulases and pectinases. The xylanase activity of the P. ruminicola has been attributed to multiple xylanase genes encoding endoglucanase, endoxylanase and oxygen sensitive exoxylanase activity (Gasparic et al., 2958) while proteolytic ability is due to a unique dipeptidylpeptidase activity (DAP1) (Hobson and Stewart, 15). It helps overcome lack of free transport of amino acids in the cell (Mackie & Morrison, 7). Obligate anaerobes P. ruminicola are among the most abundant (19%) of the rumen and hind gut microbiota cattle and sheep (Hobson and Stewart, 15). P. ruminicola are also indigenous population of human oral cavity and surface (Haraldsson, 23). As a consequence of the symbiotic relationship of P. ruminicola along with other similar microbes with the ruminants, the latter are able to derive nutrition from the herbaceous materials made of starch and hemicelluloses. Further due to the proteolytic activity of P. ruminicola low quality protein sources ingested by the host animal are converted into high quality microbial cell proteins that are then made available to the host animal. 3. Gasparic, A, et al. "A xylan hydrolase gene cluster in Prevotella ruminicola B14: sequence relationships, synergistic interactions, and oxygen sensitivity of a novel enzyme with exoxylanase and

Canadas Boreal Forest and Gloeophyllum Sepiarium Essay

Canadas Boreal Forest and Gloeophyllum Sepiarium - Essay Example sepiarium wood rots. This organic matter is then returned to the soil it is an important contributors to the break down of wood in the forest and the recycling of nutrients as well as soil improvement. G. sepiarium and other fungi do not produce carbon as they do not have the ability of photosynthesis so they obtain their energy from breaking down organism that have carbon based molecules which are then absorbed as nutrients into to fungal cells (Farrar, 1985). Whilst this fungus is highly toxic if ingested it has been used in research against cancer has showed positively to date to have potential medicinal purposes for the fight against the disease (Sasata, 2008). The G. sepiarium is asexual an reproduces through vegetative spores in late summer and early autumn however fruiting bodies are seen all year round. .The spores are released by a strong ejection from the reproductive structure ensuring a wide dispersal range. BIBLIOGRAPHY Farrar JF (1985). "Carbohydrate metabolism in biotrophic plant pathogens". Microbial Sci. 2: 314-317 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez (accessed on 27th November 2008) Sasata, 2008 Healing-Mushrooms.net, http://healing-mushrooms.net/archives/gloeophyllum-sepiarium.html (accessed on 27th