MICROBIAL WORLD

THE STORY OF MICROORGANISMS

Let us think over following questions. Why do we add some drops of butter milk to lukewarm milk while making curd? Why does even cooked food get spoiled after some days? Why do we get bad smell from our mouth after we wake up in the morning? In this chapter we will try to find out what may be involved in causing such changes. Years back several people wondered over such questions and tried to find out answers of such questions. One such example is about Anton van Leeuwenhoek.

Story of Microscope invention and discovery of microorganisms

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

single lens powerful microscope

Microbiology as a science was born in 1674 when Anton van Leeuwenhoek peered at a drop of lake water through a glass lens that he had carefully ground. Anton van Leeuwenhoek was a fabric merchant. Leeuwenhoek built a single lens powerful microscope, which can magnify the object 300 times. His curiosity and skill of making powerful lenses were the secrets of this invention of powerful microscope. His keen observation of different things under his microscope helped him to discover smallest moving organisms in 1678. He called them as animalcules, later which were named as bacteria. Along with animalcules he observed many other microorganisms under his microscope which got their respective names later on. This helped further discovery of other microorganisms.
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Now let us see what are Microorganisms and where we can find them. Microorganisms
We can see some organisms with our naked eyes, like plants and animals around us. But some organisms are so small that we cannot see them with our naked eyes. We can see them only with help of a microscope. They are called as microorganisms. Some of the microorganisms are shown in Fig.2.1 to 2.5

Bacteri of different shapes

Lactobacillus

Fig.2.1Bacteria as seen under Electron microscope

: Penicillium

Bread mould Rhizopus Fig.2.2 Fungi

Aspergillus

Amoeba ( 500 Microns ) Fig.2.3Protozoans

Paramecium ( 0.25m.m )

Ceratium

Chlamydomonas

Spirogyra

Spirulina

Oedogonium

Vorticella

Osillotoria

Fig.2.4 Algae

cylapse

Daphnia

Scabies mite

Eyelash mite

Fig. 2.5 Micro Arthropods

Groups of microorganisms
Let us study some major groups of microorganisms. They are bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae and certain micro arthropods.

To study these major groups we will do some activities.

For this we will need a Microscope. You already know how to use it. You could also refer to class VI Chapter and class VIII Chapter --

Activity 1 : Collect some pond water / or water from any tank in your surrounding. Ensure to take some of the greenish scrapings from side of the tank. Take 1-2 drops of water (from the sample you have collected) on a
slide and observe through Microscope. Draw rough sketches in your note book of what you observed. Take the help of given figures on page --- for observation and identification (you may also discuss with your friends). Take the help of your teacher as well.

Help Box
Photographs of microbes in pond water, ex: Spirogyra, paramecium, Amoeba etc

Can you name the organisms you have observed through the microscope? We will try to know more about the microscopic world by doing the following activities.

Observing Fungi Usually after the rainy seasion you may have seen some small umbrella like growths over rotten materials of dumped wast beteen the grasses in a field or edges of wet rotten wooden planks. Often you may have observed white patches on the bark of trees. These are a few types of fungi. Now let us look at them more closely by the following activity. Activity 2: Take some rotten part of vegetable or black spoiled part of bread or coconut with help of a needle on a slide. Put a drop of water, cover with a cover slip and observe through microscope. Draw rough sketches in your note book of what you observed. Take the help of help box for the same. Help Box

ex.Rhizopous

Observing Bacteria We can see these in butter milk or curd or early morning scraping of tongue (before washing the mouth). We can also find them in the soil, over bark of trees, over our skin and many other places. But they are not visible to the naked eye. Now let us look at them more closely by the following activity.

Activity 3: Take one or two drops of butter milk on a slide, spread it on the slide. Heat it slightly on a lamp (3-4 seconds). Add a few drops of cristal violet on it. Leave it for 30 to 60 seconds and wash the slide gently with water. Observe the slide under the compound Microscope. Draw rough Sketches in your note book of what you observed. Take the help of the given help box for observation.

Help Box Picture of actual observation of lactobacillus

Photographs of curd in bowl Lactobacillus bacterium

Do you know?
There are several Bacteria growing on our skin. Many of the disease causing ones live in some symbiotic relations with other bacteria. There are several types of them in our body as well. We cannot do without the bacteria present inside our intestine. Bacteria are found everywhere and there are over thousand types of them in soil, water etc. Recently two types of bacteria nearly a millimetre long were discovered which can be seen with naked eye.

Observing Algae We observe greenish pond water in our surroundings. This greenishness is because of growth of Algae and other plants in water. We can see some of algae with naked eye like chora, but most of the algae present in water is also microscopic. They can be observed only through a microscope. Let us collect pond water or water from the tanks with bit of greenish scrapings. To observe some of the micro algae growing in water let us do the following activity. Activity Take one or two drops of collected greenish pond water (in a bottle) on a slide. Cover it with a cover slip and observe through microscope. Draw rough sketches in your note book of what you observed. Take the help of help box for the same.

Do you know? Micro Algae photosynthesis is important for life on earth. They produce approximately half of the atmospheric oxygen and use green house gase carbon dioxide. The bio diversity of Micro Algae is enormous. It has been estimated that about 2 lakhs to 8 lakhs species exist.

Observing Protozoa Some of other group of microorganisms are protozoans. Most of the protozoans present in the water and soil. We can see them through microscope only. Let us do the following activity to observe them. Do you Know? To grow protozoans prepare dication of hay and take in a bowl and add some collected pond water to it. After 3- 4 days take drop of water and observe under compound microscope. You can also add some boiled bendi pieces to the hey dication.

Activity Take one or two drops of hay decation water on a slide and observe under the microscope. Draw rough Sketches in your note book of what you observed. Take the help of the given help box for observation.

Microorthropods
We can see some arthropods with our eyes such as Ants, Cockroaches, Scorpions, etc. But some arthropods are microscopic which are known as micro arthropods. Some micro arthropods are very important in soil which helps in soil

fertility by decomposing the biomass through disetion which converts the bigger compounds in to smaller compounds. Some micro arthropods cause diseases like scabies e.g.: scabies mites. Observing soil microorganisms Do you know? Soil is highly rich of microorganisms such a bacteria, fungi, Actinomyceties, protozoans, microorthropods. The top of eight inch soil of one acre may contain as much as five and half tons of fungi and bacteria. We can see them trough microscope only, by growing them in different media. Let us do following activity to observe some of soil microbes.

Activity 4: Collect some soil from the field in a beaker or in a glass .Add some
water to it and stir it. Wait for some time to let the soil particles settle down. Take a drop of water on a slide and observe under the Microscope. Draw rough sketches in your note book of what you observed. Take the help of help box for observation.

Help box
Photographs and ex. Of soil micro orgsanisms microorthropod mites, worms, fungal, spores, fungal hyae.

Help Box
Photographs and ex. Of soil micro orgsanisms microorthropod mites, worms, fungal, spores, fungal hyae.

Do you know?
To grow soil microbes we must add 2-3boiled cucumber pieces to the soil mixed water and keep it for there to four days. Observe on the cucumber pieces. Take little part of Cucumber piece and observe under Microscope. Take help of your teacher.

From the above activities you would be able to understand the diverseness of the microorganisms. You can also appreciate the fact that this is another amazing world of living organisms. Let us try to find out where else we can find them.

Where are microorganisms present?

Microorganisms present everywhere around us. They present in air, water, soil. They are also present inside and outside of animals including human beings and on plants. They can survive in all types of environments ranging from ice cold climate to hot springs, deserts to marshy lands. Some microorganisms grow on other organisms (parasites) and some may exist independently like algae

Do you know?
Viruses are very interesting type of microorganisms. They behave like non living things when they are outside of a living cell. But they behave like living organisms by reproducing in host living cells like bacteria, plants or animals. They can only be seen through very powerful electron microscope. Some Viruses are shown in Fig-2.5.

HIV Fig.2.5 Viruses Diseases like polio, swine flu, conjunctivitis, smallpox, chickenpox and AIDS are caused by viruses. Diseases like typhoid, tuberculosis (T.B) and septicaemia (blood poisoning) caused by bacteria. Some of the skin diseases are caused by fungi while others by microorhropods and bacteria. Diseases like Malaria, Amoebiasis are caused by Protozoa (Protozoans)

Are Microbes (Microorganisms) our friends or foes?

As you came to know that microorganisms present everywhere, think whether these microorganisms are helpful like our friends? Or microorganisms do harm like our foes? Yes, some microorganisms are very useful and help us. But some of microorganisms are very harmful. They cause diseases and spoil our food. Now let us we study about them in detail.

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USEFUL (FRIENDLY) MICROORGANISMS:

Some microorganisms are very useful in everyday life, for example in curd making and in preparation of idly and dosa. Some are useful in preparation of Bakery bread and cake. Some microorganisms are very helpful in curing diseases (in the form of antibiotics). Some microorganisms prevent very harmful diseases (in the form of vaccines). Some are former friendly by increasing soil fertility by nitrogen fixation. Some are helpful in cleaning the environment, by converting organic wastes. They degrade them into small nutrients and convert them into organic manure.

ACTIVITY: Take some lukewarm milk in two small bowls. Add few drops of
butter milk or little curd in one of the bowls. In the second bowl do not add anything. Keep the bowls at warm place and observe the milk in the bowls after 5 to 6 hours. What changes did you observe? And think what the reason is? Discuss with your friends. Photographs of curd making Curd or buttermilk contains bacterium named lactobacillus. Lactobacillus converts the milk into the form of curd. Curd is easily digestible, will have good taste and smell.

ACTIVITY: Take 100 grams of Myda flour in a bowl, add one or two spoons
of yeast powder, some water and knead it to make dough. Keep the dough in a warm place. Observe the dough after 3-4 hours. What changes you have observed in the dough? What might be the reason? Think and discuss with your friends. You might have observed in your home your mother preparing fermented food like idly, dosa.

Myda dough in two cups but one is mixed with Yeast. Which one? Can you fiend?

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In making bakery bread and cake, fungus yeast is added, which ferments the bread. Yeast produces carbon dioxide. Bubbles of the gas fill the dough and increase its volume and become spongy in nature, so this is the main reason for using Yeast in bakery industry in making bread and cakes. Yeast produces vitamin B. So bakery bread is also one of the sources of vitamin B. Microorganisms help in fermentation in preparing idly and dosa.

Commercial use of microorganisms

ACTIVITY: Take half glass of water, in two beakers or bowls separately. Add 5 to 10 spoons of sugar in the water, and add 2 to 3 spoons of yeast in one of the bowls. Close the bowls with lids, and keep them in a warm place. After 3 to 4 hours remove the lids and smell. What difference that you have observed in two bowls? Think what might be the reason? PHOTOGRAPHS This is the smell of Alcohol. Sugars are converted in to Alcohol by yeast. This process of conversion of sugars into Alcohol is known as fermentation. This process is used in the large scale production of alcohol, wine, beer and acetic acid. For this yeast is grown in natural sugars present in grains like barley, wheat, rice and crushed fruit juices like grapes. In sugar industry molasses is produced. It is used in preparation of ethyl alcohol by fermentation process by adding yeast. PHOTOGRAPHS Do you know? Consuming alcohol effects on functioning of our digestive system and Central Nervous System i.e. which harms our health.

Medicinal use of Microorganisms

Sometimes we may fall ill, with fever like typhoid or cough. Sometimes some of us may be injured or needed an operation. In all these cases doctors prescribe us some medicines (antibiotics). We take these medicines, in the form of syrups, tablets or injections. Some of these medicines kill or stop the growth of disease causing microorganisms like bacteria. Such medicines are called antibiotics. By growing specific microorganisms these antibiotics are produced. Nowadays

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number of antibiotics like penicillin, Tetracycline, streptomycin and Erythromycin are made from fungi and bacteria. Antibiotics are helping us by curing many bacterial diseases like Typhoid, Gonorrhoea and prevent infections like Septicaemia i.e. blood poisoning.

Antibiotics help animals also in curing bacterial diseases like Anthrax, and checks bacterial infections. They are also used to control bacterial diseases in plants.

Do you know? We must use antibiotics with prescription of a qualified doctor only for the prescribed period. If you use antibiotics without consulting a qualified doctor which may harm you. Unnecessary use of antibiotics effects leucocytes ( W.B.C ), which are natural protectors of our body from diseases .Sometimes they may kill useful bacteria in you.

The story of discovery of Penicillin

Dr. Alexander Fleming was an army doctor in First World War. He observed many injured soldiers died because of bacterial infection of wounds. He was working on antibiotics in his lab. One day he keenly observed some mould is preventing the growth of bacteria in the Petridis in which he culturing bacteria.
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He separated the fungus and tested on some other disease causing bacteria. Which also killed the other disease causing bacteria. The mould or fungus separated was identified as penicillium notatum. The substance which produced by the fungus penicillium is named as Penicillin. The discovery of penicillin antibiotic published in 1929. In 1945 Dr. Alexander Fleming was awarded Noble prize along with Dr.Howard flory, and Dr. Ernst.B.chain for the discovery of penicillin antibiotic, which cured many bacterial diseases and prevented bacterial infections. The discovery of penicillin paved the way to discover of many antibiotics like streptomycin, Erythromycin from fungi and bacteri

Do you know?
Inventor of Aureomycin Dr.Yellapreggada Subba Rao He belong to our India particularly to our AndhraPredesh State. He discovered Aureomycin i.e Tetracycline which cures number of bacterial diseases like Typhiod, plague, Tuberculosis etc.

Story of discovery of Smallpox vaccine:

The decision of Dr. Edward Jenner to setup his medical practice in country yard i.e. in a village, which helped mankind save from extinction from diseases with discovery of vaccines. He keenly observed that the milkmaids who developed cowpox, a less serious disease, did not develop the deadly smallpox. He thought they are developing immunity which is preventing small pox which a very dangerous disease wiping out millions of people in those days. In 1796, Jenner took the fluid from a cowpox pustule on a dairymaids hand and
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inoculated a 8 years old boy with his parents permission. Six weeks later, he exposed the boy to smallpox, and the boy did not develop any symptoms of smallpox. This invention of smallpox vaccine saved millions people from deadly disease. This showed the way for the discovery of number of vaccines which prevent us from harmful diseases. Vaccine term came from vaca means cow.

Vaccine
Have you listened that children below five years must take polio drops? Why children should take polio drops? What is the use of polio drops? Have you taken polio drops? Think and discuss with your parents and friends.

When disease causing microorganisms enters in to our body, our body reacts and produces antibodies. Antibodies fights with disease causing microorganisms. If antibodies produced are more in number the disease causing microorganisms are eliminated. Then there will be no disease. If antibodies produces are less in number than disease causing microorganisms and further increases their number by reproducing. The diseases like polio, smallpox, etc develops gradually. Even when killed or weakened microorganisms enters into our body, in the same way above our body reacts and produces antibodies. Which are more in number ready to fight. When the disease causing microorganisms enters in our body , the already present antibodies fights and eliminates the disease causing microorganisms. Thus the disease is prevented. The killed or weakened disease causing microorganisms which will be given to us is called vaccine. Polio vaccine is given in the form of oral drops which prevents polio in children. Numbers of vaccines are developed to prevent diseases like typhoid, smallpox, chickenpox, Cholera, hepatitis, Tuberculosis, etc.

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Nowadays vaccines are made on a large scale from microorganisms to protect human and other animals from several diseases.

Do you know?
Dr. Jonas Salk discovered vaccine for Polio in 1952. He wanted to distribute it freely to everyone. So he never patented his polio vaccine. Dr. Albert Sabin discovered oral polio vaccine in 1957.

Have you listened to a saying? PREVNTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Activity: Meet a doctor or a health worker and ask what types of vaccines are there? Which disease can be prevented? When it should be taken? List them out.

Do you know?
Vaccine for Rabies was discovered by Luis pasture. Rabies causing virus enters in to our body through Rabies infected dog bite.

MICROORGANISMS IN SOIL FERTILITY:

Nitrogen is an essential element to grow plants. Nitrogen is an important component of proteins. Most of the air consists of Nitrogen gas (78%) . Plants cannot take atmospheric Nitrogen directly. Some microorganisms like blue green algae, Rhyzobium bacterium which present in the fruit nodules of legumes can fix atmospheric Nitrogen. Thus blue green algae like Nostac and Anabaena,

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bacterium like Rhyzobium helps in soil fertility. We know that soil fertility helps plants to grow well.

Figures:

Nostoc

Anabina

The micro organisms present in the soil like fungi and bacteria degrade biological wastes present in the soil into small nutrients. Small nutrients are essential to plants to grow.

Do microorganisms clean our environment?

ACTIVITY: Take two pots or dig two pits in a corner of waste place in your ground. Fill them half with loose soil. Put some biological wastes like fallen leaves, vegetable wastes, waste papers etc., in one of them. Fill the second one with plastic wastes, polythene bags and with some empty glass bottles. Now cover the pits or pots with some loose soil. Sprinkle some water on the pots /pits. Do this every day. After three to four weeks remove the upper soil from the pits and observe the changes. What changes you have observed? Note them down. Think and discuss with your friends.

Compost pit

You might have often seen fallen leaves, fruits under the trees, some dead animals in your surroundings. After some days or weeks can you see them again? No, they might have gradually disappeared. How it was happened? Microorganisms present in the soil, air and water acts upon them and decomposes. They are converted into simple substances. Thus microorganisms help us in cleaning the environment.

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Think
What would happen if microorganisms are absent, in our surroundings? What might be present in our surroundings?

Do You Know? Some of Microbes are used in Bio Technology. Transfer Of Genes from one Cell to another takes Places with the help Some Bacterium. Eg: E.Coli, Agrobacterium tumifacians which were called as gene vectors ( i.e.plasmid of the bacteria).

Do you know?
Some Bacteria present in our intestine helps us in digestion.

Do you know?
Which microorganisms help in sewage treatment?

DO YOU KNOW? What is Bt?

Bt means Bacillus thuringiensis is name of a bacterium. It produces a toxin which kills pests on plants or crops. The bacterium is used as bio pesticides. In transgenic crop plants this toxin produced gene was separated from the bacterium and transferred into the crop plants. So this can protect it from pests. For example B.T. cotton.

Do microorganisms harm us?

Activity: Meet a doctor nearby you, with the help of your teacher or parents. Ask the doctor what are the different types of diseases, caused by different micro organisms and note them down and discuss with your friends.

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Harmful microorganisms:
We have already studied about useful Microorganisms. Now let us learn about harmful Microorganisms which spoil food, clothes and cause diseases to plants and animals.

Diseases causing microorganisms in human beings:

Recall that microorganisms are present everywhere in our surroundings. Microorganisms which cause diseases are called them as pathogens. Pathogens enter into our body through air we breathe, through water we drink and food we eat. They can also be transmitted by the direct contact with infected person or carried through animals or insects. When these pathogens enter into our body and causes diseases. You might have observed, sometimes some of our (your) family members or friends may get cold and cough at the sudden change of weather. When the infected person sneezes or coughs, the pathogens enter in to the air from infected persons. This air containing pathogens enter into the healthy persons body, and develops cold. This type of diseases which spreads from infected people to healthy persons is known as communicable diseases. Communicable diseases spread through air, water, food or through physical contact of infected person (or his used towels, kerchiefs) or through insects like houseflies and mosquitoes. Common cold, conjunctivitis, typhoid, smallpox, chickenpox, swine flu, Tuberculosis are some communicable diseases.

Anopheles female mosquito biting

Malaria causing Plasmodium

Some insects and animals carry diseases causing microorganisms. They are called as vectors. The microorganism plasmodium causes malaria. Plasmodium is a protozoan female Anopheles mosquito carries plasmodium. Female Aedes mosquito carries dengue virus. When these mosquitoes bites malaria, dengue infected persons, the microorganisms enters into these mosquitoes. When they bite again a healthy person, the malaria causing plasmodium or dengue causing virus enter into healthy persons body. Thus mosquitoes are vectors for malaria, dengue, chickungunya and brain fever
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(meningitis). How can we control or prevent these diseases? By controlling mosquitoes, mosquito bites we can prevent these diseases. All mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. We should be careful not let water collect anywhere in our surroundings, including left over waste pots, waste flower pots, tyres, bowls etc.,

Do You Know?
Dr.Ronald Ross discovered that female Anopheles mosquitoes was carrier of the causative Microorganism (parasite) for Malaria. For this discovery Dr.Ronald Ross got Nobel prize 1902. He discovered it in Secendrabad.
For full story of discovery of Ross go to Read and Enjoy section .................

HOUSE FLY ON FOOD

House flies also carry diseases causing microorganisms like typhoid, cholera. When they sit on garbage, excreta of infected persons or animals pathogens stick to the body. When these flies sit again on a uncovered food, they transfers the disease causing bacteria into the food. Whoever eats this food may have chances to get these diseases. So we must avoid taking uncovered food. We must always cover the food. Houseflies breeds on garbage. We can control houseflies by keeping our surroundings clean.

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One day Srikanth went to hospital with his mother there he saw the following chart on a wall.

TABLE : SOME COMMON DISEASES CAUSED BY MICROORGANISMS IN HUMAN:

Name of the disease Tuberculosis Causative Microorganism Bacteria Mode of transmission Air Preventive measures * Vaccination * Avoid using infected persons towels, Hand kerchiefs, Glasses etc Chicken pox Measles Polio Swine flu Cholera Typhoid Malaria Virus Virus Virus Virus Bacteria Bacteria protozoa Air Air Air, Water Air Contaminated Water, Food Contaminated water, Food Mosquitoes * Vaccination * Vaccination * Vaccination * Vaccination * Personal hygiene and good sanitary habits * Consume boiled drinking water * Use mosquito nets, repellents. * Control breeding of mosquitoes by not allowing water stagnation in our surroundings Dengue Chikungunya Meningitis / Japanese Encephalitis virus virus Virus Mosquitoes Mosquitoes Mosquitoes ,, ,, ,,

Study above table and answer following questions.

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1.What diseases can be prevented if we can control Mosquitoes or Mosquito bites?

________________________________________________________________ 2. Which diseases we can prevent by taking Vaccination? ________________________________________________________________ 3. What are the diseases which transmits by contaminated water?

4. Can you name some diseases which transmits by Air? ________________________________________________________________

Disease causing microorganisms in animals

Microorganisms not only cause diseases in human beings but also in animals, and plants. Some examples are like Anthrax mainly in cattle and as well as in human .

Anthrax disease in sheep

Disease causing micro organisms in plants:

Microorganisms also cause diseases in plants like rice, wheat, sugarcane, groundnut, oranges, citrus and others. The diseases reduce crop yield. Certain chemicals and measure are used to control these diseases. TABLE -------- shows some of plant diseases, causative microorganisms and mode of transmission.

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Name of the plant disease Citrus canker

Causative Microorganism Bactria

Mode of Transmission Air

Figure

Red rot of sugarcane Tikka disease of groundnut Tobacco mosaic

fungi

Air, seedlings

Fungi

Air, seeds

Virus

Insects

Food poisoning:
Sometimes you might have listened or seen in news papers that some people hospitalised due to food poisoning. Food poisoning could be due to the consumption of spoilt food. Some microorganisms produce toxic substances in food. These toxic substances make the food poisonous. If we take this food which may lead to vomiting, motions, even may death.

Do you know?
Clostridium botulinum a bacterium causes food poisoning. The disease is known as botulism.

Food preservation:
If microbes grow on our food, they spoil it. Spoilt food emits bad smell and had bad taste. Water or moisture present in food items helps the microorganisms

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to grow. How can we preserve our food? We knew the cause of food spoilage i.e. growing of microorganisms. Think how can we prevent the growth of microbes on food? You have learnt in 6th class different methods adopted to preserve food at your home. For example while pickles making salt and oil is added. Fishes are preserved by adding salt or smoking them. Jams and Jellies are preserved by adding sugar after boiling them. Vegetable slices are preserved by drying in hot sun light. What happens in all these methods? Think, water or moisture is removed from the food items, Microbes cannot grow in these conditions. Let us study some other methods of food preservation.

Heat and cold method

You might have observed that your mother boiling the milk before using or storing. Boiling helps in killing the microorganisms present in the milk. After lunch or dinner we preserve our remaining food items in refrigerator. We preserve vegetables and some other food items in the refrigerator.

How food items wont spoil in refrigerator? Think, low temperature inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Thus food is preserved in refrigerator and in cold storages.

Pasteurisation
Have you seen dairy milk is preserved in packets for a long time? How can be it preserved for long time? The dairy milk also called as pasteurised milk. The milk is heated up to70 degrees C for 15 to 30 seconds and then suddenly chilled and stored. This prevents growth of microorganisms. This process is discovered by Louis pasture. So this method is known as pasteurisation.

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PASTEURISATION PROCESS USED IN DAIRY TO PRESERVE THE MILK

Story of invention of pasteurisation

LOUIS PASTURE

Louis Pasture was born in a village of France in 1822. He obtained intense patriotism from his father. He was also a painter. He wanted to become a teacher. But his interest was also in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. But he turned in to research. He was doing his research on crystals. Wine industry in France was in trouble with spoilage of preserved wine. They approached Pasture. Pasture studied the problem and hypothesised microorganisms may be cause of wine spoilage. He thought that these microorganisms can be controlled by heat. This led the invention of Pasteurisation. He proposed germ theory of diseases i.e. Microorganisms causes diseases. He invented vaccine for Rabbis which transmits by bite of a rabbis infected dog. He studied and conquered Anthrax. He studied gangrene, blood poisoning and showed how to control them.

Do you know?
Lazzaro Spallanzani? He is the first person to prove experimentally microorganisms could be killed by boiling. (1768 ).

Storage and packing

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Nowadays dry fruits and even vegetables are sold in sealed and air tight packets, which prevents entering microbes from outside. Thus proper preservation of food helps us, in the fallowing ways:
1)

This prevents spoilage of food. Quality of food is preserved for long time. Variety of food items may be available in faraway places, at any seasons.

2) We can preserve food for longer period.

3) 4)

Do you know?
Invention of pasteurisation led to the invention of sterilisation process. In this process microbes are killed. In this process the materials were kept in sterilisation chamber and heated up to high temperature upto 30 minutes. While doing operations doctors uses sterilised instruments and other sterilised material, which avoids infections to patient wounds.

NITROGEN FIXATION:

Root nodules of legume plant

Rhizobium bacterium

ACTIVITY: Take root nodules of any pulses or leguminous plants crush it on slide, put a drop of water, any oil on it and observe under microscope. What you have observed? Draw the diagrams/note it down. Discuss with your friends. You have learnt about rhizobium bacterium previously. Rhizobium which present in the root nodules of many leguminous ( pulses) plants. Such as beans and peas. The bacterium rhizobium absorbs atmospheric nitrogen and gives it to the plant. Plant gives shelter and required food to the bacterium. Thus both help each other. This relationship is known as symbiosis. Thus rhizobium helps in soil fertility. While farming crop rotation i.e. Growing of pulses plants helps to increase in soil fertility.
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DO YOU KNOW?
BACTERIAL STAINING

Bacterias are very small/tiny microorganisms. We must stain before seeing BACTERIA UNDER MICROSCOPE. Smear bacteria on a slide and slightly heat the slide. Then put drops of crystal violet on the slide, after 30 to 60 seconds gently wash the slide. Dry the slide and now watch the slide under the microscope in 25
X or 40 X.

KEY WORDS
Microorganism , Microscope, Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, Algae, Virus, Yeast, Fermentation, Antibiotics, vaccine, Plasmodium, Vector,Lactobacillus, Food poisoning, Food preservation, Nitrogen fixation.

What we have learnt?

Microorganisms are very minute. We cannot see them with our naked eye. We can see microorganisms with help of Microscope. Microbes present everywhere in our surroundings. Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, and Algae are major groups of microorganisms.
Viruses are special type of microorganisms, which stands between living and non living organisms. They can reproduce only in host living cell.

Some Microorganisms are useful and some microorganisms are harmful.

Microbes are useful in home, industry, Medicine and cleaning the environment. Microbes degrade organic wastes into nutrient manure. This helps in plants growth.

Some microorganisms cause diseases in human, Plants, and other animals. Some insects and animals acts as vectors of microbes.
Some microbes release toxins in improperly preserved food, which causes food poisoning.

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 Pasteurisation process helps in food preservation.

Rhizobium bacterium which present in root nodules of legumes fixes atmospheric Nitrogen.

Improve your learning

1. Collect more information about scientists who invented and discovered other facts related to Microorganisms. How these discoveries helped mankind? What was the influence of these discoveries in further discoveries? Make a chart presentation and past it at your classroom wall Magazine. Make a Album of scientists and their discoveries related to Microorganisms. Take three bowls and mark as A, B, C. Put some Luke warm milk in A bowl, pour some boiling milk in B bowl, Pour cold milk in C bowl. Add one tea spoon of curd or butter milk in three bowls and stir them slightly. Cover the bowls with lids. Keep the bowls undisturbed for five to six hours. Think and guess in which bowls milk will be converted into curd first, second, and third. Observe the changes in the milk in the Bowles A, B, C after 5-6 Hours. Note your guess and results in the following table.

2. 3.

Photographs: Table: Which bowl of the milk is converted in to milk 1st, 2nd, 3rd Bowl A Your guess Your experimental Result Analyse the results. Think for the reason, and note them down. Discuss with your friends. 4. Take two water bottles or two test tubes fill quarter of them with water. Add five to six tea spoons full of sugar in each of the bottle. Add two to three spoons full of Yeast in one of the bottle only. Take two balloons tie Bowl B Bowl C

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them to the mouths of the bottles. Keep the bottles at warm place for 3-4 hours. Think at what would happen? Record your observations? Also try to find out the reason behind these observations.

Now take another water bottle, pour some lime water. Remove swollen balloon and fix it to the lime water containing bottle. And shake well the lime water, while pressing the balloon to send the gas in to the lime water bottle. Observe the changes in lime water and note them down. Think for the reason for the changes you have observed, note them down and discuss with your friends. Photographs: 5. 6. 7. 8. Prepare an exhibit on Useful Microorganisms and put them in your school science exhibition. Prepare an exhibit on harmful Microorganisms and put them in your school science exhibition. Visit any disease diagnostic centres or labs with help of lab technician observe some pathogenic microorganisms. Visit pathology Department in any Medical college nearby you with help of your teacher or parent. And request the professor about further information about pathogenic Microorganisms and their investigation methods. Visit any Dairy and know how pasteurisation of milk takes place? Meet any Agriculture scientist and request him for further information about Bio fertilisers and Bio pesticides. How are they useful in Agriculture?

9. 10.

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Visit any Agriculture University or any Agriculture Research Centre and request the scientist about B.T crops? How are they useful for formers? What are the other effects? And discuss in your class. Visit any Microbiology department of Degree, PG College or University nearby you with help of your teacher or parents .Know some techniques to culture some Microorganisms from air, water, soil and from rotten vegetables or fruits. Prepare one Bacterial or Fungal medium with help of your teacher and grow some bacteria or fungi in them and observe the appearance and colour of these. Observe some useful and harmful microorganisms on prepared permanent slides with help of Microscope, and note them down.

12.

13.

14.

15. Which one is better to take Antibiotics or vaccines? Why?

16. Refrigerator helps us in saving health and money. Can you explain?
17. What are antibodies? When do they develop? How they help us? 18. Can we prevent diseases? How? 19.Prevention is better than cure How Can you correlate it with Microorganisms? 20. Do you know the story of the discovery of Malaria causative organism? Who and where it was discovered? 21. Raheem is telling to his neighbours stagnation of sewage in our surroundings is harmful to our health. Can you explain this? 22. Can you give some important key points you noticed Scientists followed in their inventions and discoveries? 23. Which invention is most important related to Microorganisms? Can you explain the reasons why it is so important? 24. One Medical store owner is giving antibiotics to his customer who is suffering with fever without doctors prescription? But customer daughter Malathi is telling her father not to take antibiotics without doctors prescription. Whom do you support and why? 25. Latha is telling his little brother Rajesh to gargle his mouth with water after eating chocolates, ice creams and any other food. Is Latha correct? How can you support her? 26. What are the differences between Antibiotic and Vaccine?
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27. Anil went to Jathara along with his family. His father wants to buy some food in a shop. Anil observed many house flys are moving and sitting on that food. Anil is telling to his father dont buy uncovered food? Why we should not buy uncovered food? How it is Harmful? Think and discuss with your friends. Note them down,

Do you know?
PREVNTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

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