Microorganisms play an important role in our life: helps us to digest our food, decompose wastes and

participate in various cycles. They are diverse and have adapted to inhabit different environments
including extreme conditions, such as hot vents under the ocean to the ice caps; known as
extremophiles. There are more microorganisms present in us than there are cells, and the various
microorganisms are bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Many people link microorganisms as death
and diseases causing agents; also usually compared to dirt. Although some microorganisms are
responsible for causing diseases, most microorganisms' original hosts are not the human body so are
not pathogenic, but commensal. This essay will discuss the numerous beneficial microorganisms that
carry out processes in biotechnology, agriculture, industries and environment; necessary to sustain
life.
Firstly, essential uses of microorganisms can be seen in the environment, as they play a vital role in
many of the nutrient cycles. For instance, carbon fixation during the carbon cycle by autotrophic
bacteria, such as cyanobacteria, synthesize organic molecule using CO2 from the atmosphere to be
used by other organisms and release oxygen for our consumption. In addition, microorganisms are
vital participants of the food chain since they act as decomposers; breaking down dead organisms
and organic materials and releasing minerals for uptake by living organisms and CO2 back into the
atmosphere to be used by photosynthetic organisms. Microorganisms, known as methanogens,
influence the carbon cycle by converting CO2 in their cells to methane and releasing it into
atmosphere; thus increasing methane concentration whereas methanothrophs consume methane
from the atmosphere, leading to a decrease in the greenhouse gas and global warming (Prescott,
1999).

Involvement of microorganisms in the nitrogen cycle demonstrates that they are not just beneficial for
humans, but are significant to plants as well; especially diazotrophs. Plants and diazotrophs have
developed a symbiotic relationship, for example, Rhizobium present in the nodules on legume roots,
fixes nitrogen enabling the plant to flourish in nitrogen-deficient grounds. Microorganisms are crucial
for all three steps of nitrogen cycle: firstly, Nitrosomonas and Nitrosococcus convert ammonium ions
to nitrite and Nitrobacter convert nitrite to nitrate during nitrification; secondly, during denitrification
Pseudomonas denitrificans reduces nitrate to nitrogen gas and thirdly nitrogen fixation, with the
diazotrophs reducing nitrogen from the air into ammonia which are utilized by the plants to synthesize
DNA and amino acid. Another microorganism interacting with the plants are mycorrhizal fungi, which
forms a symbiotic relationship with plant roots. This association is beneficial for plant as fungal
hyphae increases surface area enabling the plant roots to absorb more nutrients; also advantageous
to fungi since they gain sugars produced by plants during photosynthesis (Atlas Bartha, 1998).
Moreover, microorganisms digest harmful chemicals, such as pollutants and chemical wastes
produced by the industry through a process known as bioremediation; thus protecting the
environment and human health. In this process, microorganisms grow over a solid substrate to form a
biofilm, through which the fluid containing the contaminants are poured through, so that the enzymes
produced by the microorganism can degrade the contaminant and the resulting fluid is non-toxic. In a

similar process microorganisms aid sewage water treatment: primary treatment, such as screening,
results in sludge which is digested by anaerobic microorganisms; during secondary treatment
microorganisms enable floc formation, biodegradation and neutralization of toxins when passed over
the microbial films, e.g., Geobacter sulfurreducens purifies contaminated water by precipitating
metals such as uranium (Hofkin, 2010).
Applications of microorganisms in the food industry, mainly in the production of dairy products are
another example where microorganisms are beneficial to humans. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and
Streptococcus thermophilus converts lactose in milk into lactic acid causing the milk to coagulate,
during fermentation (reduction and oxidation of organic molecules), and form yoghurt in the process.
Furthermore, probiotic yoghurt with live bacteria's is also produced nowadays, to maintain the
balance of microbial flora in our gut and prevent the growth of pathogens. Fermentation of milk by
lactic acid bacteria also causes the milk to coagulate and form curd; then additional organisms is
added to form the various cheeses, such as Penicillium camemberti to produce Camembert. Another
example is the addition of Streptococcus lactis and Leuconostoc citrovorum to cream during
fermentation to produce lactic acid, which causes thickening of the cream, and gives rise to the
flavour that is attributed to sour cream. Furthermore, microbes such as yeasts which help us in the
process of bread making, alcohol production and food preservation are also part of our diet. For
example, marmite and vegemite are made from "spent brewer's yeast" and are rich in vitamins.
Additionally, Fusarium graminearum, a type of fungus has been developed into meat substitute for
human consumption. The success of the food industry is partially due to the careful selection and
addition of beneficial microorganisms, leading to a variety of cultured food for a wide range of people
(Hofkin, 2010).
Understanding microbe's genetics has enabled us to use microorganisms in genetic-engineering
techniques, such as gene cloning, and has given numerous benefits to the biotechnological industry.
Microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and bacteriophages, act as cloning vectors to transfer
specific sequence of gene, into the plasmid of the bacterial cell using restriction enzymes. The
purpose of the restriction enzyme is to bind to the inverted palindrome in both chromosomal and
vector DNA; thus cleaving the DNA and producing sticky ends. The sticky ends of both DNA are
joined together by DNA ligase producing a recombinant DNA; used to transform the bacteria host cell.
The bacteria can be induced to produce the protein which these genes encode as the vector is
replicated and divides to produce new cells. Since the vector contains a selectable marker, maybe
coding for antibiotic resistant gene, the bacterial cells which has taken up the recombinant DNA can
be identified. Proteins from recombinant technology can be used to produce medicines, synthetic
vaccines and other vital substances, such as insulin for diabetic individuals. Application of
microorganisms in the medical industry is beneficial to human health, but also to the economy
because huge amount of medicines produced using microorganisms, such as insulin from E.coli,
lowers the cost of production (Hofkin, 2010).
Best Answer: > because animals dont need cell walls , they have cell membranes that do the same thing
. (Got from wiki answers)

Also Plants manufacture food by Photosynthesis, which needs to constantly expose itself to Sun (UV rays
etc).
Animals can hide from Sun under Trees. But Plants or Trees have no way to hide from Sun or any natural
calamities. Plants are fixed to one location and have to constantly endure bad weather, unlike Animals
which can kind of escape since it can move.

Plants cannot move and thus require more protection than animals (unicellular and multi-cellular) which are
able to move away from danger. Cell walls provide structural strength against mechanical damage as well as
invasion from fungi and bacterial pathogens.
Plants do not have a central or exoskeleton like animals and insects and have to rely on internal structural
strength to support themselves. This enables them to grow towards light, water or nutrient sources.
Plant cells need a cell wall to maintain shape, structure and rigidity. Animal cells don't need cell walls because
they have micro filaments and micro tubules to hold the shape of the cell.
The cell wall of the plant cell is made up of cellulose. Cellulose is a complex carbohydrate.