Applied Microbiology: Fermentation, Bioremediation and Host Microbiomes · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Putting microbes to work

Science · Microbiology · ages 21-22
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which pair matches microbe to product?

    • Yeast to yogurt, bacteria to beer
    • Mould to cheese milk, yeast to butter
    • Yeast to beer and bread, lactic acid bacteria to yogurt

  2. What problem does fermentation solve for a cell without oxygen?

    • It builds new mitochondria
    • It recycles the electron carrier so glycolysis keeps running
    • It splits water into oxygen

  3. Salt, acidity, temperature, and starter cultures can favour one microbe over others.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. The same spill has soaked deep into solid rock. What limits cleanup now?

    • The microbes dislike sunlight
    • The pollutant is unreachable
    • The oil is too fresh

  5. An oil spill soaks a beach. What is the sound first move?

    • Feed oxygen and nutrients to the oil-eaters already there
    • Import foreign genes for the local microbes
    • Sterilise the sand completely

  6. Why do secondary infections often follow broad antibiotics?

    • Antibiotics directly feed new pathogens
    • Antibiotics raise body temperature
    • Clearing residents drops the guard they provided

  7. A fermentation, a spill cleanup, and a healthy gut all succeed by favouring the wanted microbe over the unwanted ones.

    Circle one:   True   False

  8. A student says resident microbes protect you by making antibodies. What is wrong?

    • Residents guard by ecology: crowding, food use, and secreted inhibitors
    • Residents never interact with invaders
    • Antibodies are made only by microbes
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Putting microbes to work W1-mt_WcfGvV_dD9-s1

  1. Yeast to beer and bread, lactic acid bacteria to yogurt · Yeast ferments grain sugar, and lactic acid bacteria sour milk into yogurt and cheese.
  2. It recycles the electron carrier so glycolysis keeps running · Without recycling, glycolysis stalls, and the cell earns no ATP at all.
  3. True · Tuning conditions is how a process keeps its champion dominant.
  4. The pollutant is unreachable · A pollutant locked away stays put, however capable the microbes are.
  5. Feed oxygen and nutrients to the oil-eaters already there · Oil degraders already exist at seeps, so cleanup boosts them rather than inventing them.
  6. Clearing residents drops the guard they provided · Without crowding and inhibitors from residents, invaders settle easily.
  7. True · One practical question unites them: tilt conditions toward your champion.
  8. Residents guard by ecology: crowding, food use, and secreted inhibitors · The protection needs no antibodies at all; it is pure territorial ecology.
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