AppliedMicrobiology

AppliedMicrobiology

MicrobialEcology:
relationshipofmicroorganismswitheachother
andtheirenvironment
ecosystem:interactionofliving
andnonlivingcomponents
oceans,deserts,marshes,
forests,tundra,lakes
microorganismsplayakey
roleinecosystemstructure

NutrientAcquisitionwithinanEcosystem
3mainlevelsexistineveryecosystemin
regardstonutrientacquisition
producer
consumer
decomposer

appliedmicrobiologyistheinteractionofthe
microbialworldandtherestoftheworld
geneticvariances
microbialeffectonsoil,water,ourfood
microorganismsarepresentinmostevery
aspectofourlives
microorganismsarecriticaltoour
survivalonEarth
tobeasuccessfulecosystemonEarth,youd
bestbenicetothemicroorganisms!

MicrobialEcology:
relationshipofmicroorganismswitheachotherand
theirenvironment
microenvironment:immediately
surroundsamicroorganism
relevanttosurvivalandgrowthof
relevant to survival and growth of
themicroorganism

NutrientAcquisitionwithinanEcosystem
2.consumers
heterotrophs
utilizeorganicmaterial
createdbyproducers
yp

1.primaryproducers:
convertCO2 to
organicmaterial

NutrientAcquisitionwithinanEcosystem
3.decomposers
heterotrophs
digestleftoversofprimary
producersandconsumers
detritus(freshorpartially
decomposedorganic
matter)

bacteriaandfungiarekey
playersintheprocessof
decomposition

Microbialcompetitionandantagonism
mostenvironmentsaresuitabletomany
kindsofmicroorganisms
onlyoneorafewcanactuallyoccupythe
environment at a given time
environmentatagiventime

LowNutrientEnvironments:
commoninnature
bacteriadobestinbiofilmsif
nutritionavailabilityislow
biofilmsareapolysaccharide
encasedcommunityof
d
i
f
microorganisms
microorganismsextractnutrients
thatareabsorbedbywaterfrom
airornutrientsthatareadsorbed
ontothebiofilm

CompetitionandAntagonism:among
microorganisms
competition:
fiercecompetitionfornutrientsandwater
thefasteramicrobereproducesthelargerthe
population
thelargerpopulationcompetesbetter
critical,especiallyifthemicroorganismscompeting
utilizesimilarnutrients

antagonism
bacteriocins:proteinproducedbybacteriathat
destroyssimilarstrains

WINNERTAKESALLANDISKING/QUEENOF
THEMICROBIALECOSYSTEM

ExampleofCompetition
stabilityofmicrobialcommunityinhuman
intestineisattributedtocompetitionand
antagonismamongstitsmembers
competenicelyfornutrients
producetoxinstolimitgrowthofnewmicrobes

EnvironmentalChangeaffectmicrobial
population
environmentalfluctuationsarecommonand
residentmicroorganismsmayrespondby
producingenzymestohelpadapttochanging
environment
additionalordifferentenzymesmaybenecessaryfor
survival

mutation
dominationbyotherspecies(cantcompeteany
more)

MicrobialMat:
thick,dense,organizedbiofilm
generallyfoundattachedtoasolidsubstrate
oratairwaterinterfaces

Microbial mat attached to

rocks

TheStudyofMicrobialEcology
somewhatdifficultto
accomplish
lessthan1%of
environmental
microorganismscanbe
successfullyculturedinthe
lab

Microbial mat in stream bed

MicrobialHabitat
aquatic

MicrobialHabitat
freshwater:

marine:

algae

lakes

deepwatersareusuallystableandconsistent
shorelinehabitatvariesduetonutrientrichrunoff

stratificationallowsforthemixingofthewater
seasonally.
IncreasesthepresenceofO2 inthedeeperH2O

paramecium

MicrobialHabitat
movingwater

MicrobialHabitat
terrestrial

rivers
generallyaerobicdueto
turbulencefacilitatingO2
circulation

river ostracod

microorganismsarecriticaltosoilhabitat
compositionofmicrobesisdependentonsoil
conditions
wetsoil:anaerobicconditionsduetowaterfillingthe
porespaceinthesoil,soildriesandmicrobesgo
produceendosporesforsurvival

Endospores

MutualismwithEukaryotes
mychorrhizae:fungus

Mutualism
nitrogenfixers:fix
nitrogenandmakeit
availablefortheuse
by their partner plant
bytheirpartnerplant

assistplantsintheuptakeof
phosphorous
mychorrizaegainnutrientfromplant
mychorrizae gain nutrient from plant

mostcommonis
Rhizobium,a
microorganismfound
inmanyrootnodules
Rhizobium in root nodules

NitrogenCycle

Mutualism:microorganismsandtheworld
microorganismsandherbivores
animalwitharumens(cow)orcecums
(horse)needmicroorganismstodigest
th l t f d th i
theplantfoodtheyingest
t

Bacillus in a
cow rumen

MicroorganismsinSewageTreatment
decreasingbiochemical
oxygendemand(BOD)
decreasesimpactof
sewageonthe
environment
BODistheamountofO
BOD i h
f O2
neededformicrobial
decompositionofthe
organicmaterialina
sample

MicroorganismsinSewageTreatment
ifnottreatedthehighBODfoundinsewage

Grit chamber

Biological filter

Clarifier

coulddepletetheO2 levelinthereceiving
water
inotherwordsifrawsewageisdepositedinto
h
d f
d
d
alakeorstreamwithouttreatment,itwould
effectivelysucktheoxygenoutofthewater,
leavingverylittleforthefishandother
organisms

MicroorganismsinSewageTreatment
sewagetreatmentisacontrolledprocess
thatstrivestoeliminatetheexcessorganic
material,thusdiminishingtheBOD
mostoftheremovaloforganicmatterisdone
bymicroorganisms
y
g

bacterial filaments

MicroorganismsandWaterTreatmentand
Testing
municipalwater
suppliesaretested
andtreatedforthe
removal of
removalof
pathogenic
microorganismsand
chemicals
thisisdonewiththe
useofchemicals

MicroorganismsandSolidWaste
Treatment

Compost

theeliminationoforganicwaste
materialcanbeenhancedby
microorganisms
increasecosttoseparateorganic
materialfrominorganic(glass,
metal,plastic)
composting:natural
decompositionoforganicsolid
materielresultsinexcellent
fertilizer

Bioremediation:
useofmicroorganismstoeliminateormakeharmless
pollutantsinanenvironment

pollutants
removedcan
include
organicsolvents
organic solvents
toxicchemicals
hydrocarbons

oil spill

microorganisms
g
are
needed to breakdown
the organic material

Bioremediation
introducesspecificorganismstothepollutedarea
manytoxicsubstancesaremanmade/newtothe
environment(xenobiotics)
notimefornaturallyoccurringmicrobestohave
evolvedbiochemicalpathwaysfortheirdegradation

scientistsaretryingtodevelopnewmicrobesfor
thedegradationofenvironmentalpolluters

Cleaning an oil spill

Bioremediation
scientistsarealsomakinguseoforganisms
alreadyfoundintheenvironment
enhancetheirrequirementsforgrowth,suchas
nutrition or water availability
nutritionorwateravailability

WhyBioremediation?
currentmethodsofcontrollingsome
environmentalpollutersareincineration
orstorageinlandfills,whichresultin
morepollution
healthrisks

bioremediationis

inexpensive
publiclyaccepted
nonpolluting(ideally)
insitutreatment(atthesite)

Bacteria in an oil spill

FoodMicrobiology
foodisanecosystemand
microorganismsplayakey
roleinthestabilityofthat
ecosystem
microorganismsare
introducedtothefood
ecosystemfromthesoil,
harvesting,handling,storage,
andpackaging

FoodMicrobiology
spoilage:badfoodmicrobiology
undesirablechangestofood;sour
milk,moldybread
preservativesandrefrigeration
inhibit the growth of
inhibitthegrowthof
microorganisms

FoodMicrobiology
fermentation:goodfood
microbiology
foodthathavebeen
intentionally altered such as
intentionallyalteredsuchas
sourcream,cheese,beer
anydesirablechangea
microorganismmakesto
food

MicroorganismsinFood
factorsthataffectthepresenceof
microorganismsinfoodinclude
intrinsic
extrinsic

Moldy Spam

Intrinsicgrowthfactors:
naturallypresentinfood
wateravailability ismeasuredaswater
activity(aw)
thisistheamountavailableinthefood
mostmicroorganismsrequireana
g
q
w of0.90or
w
aboveforgrowth
fungicangrowwithaaw of0.80
freshfoodhaveanaw0.98

IntrinsicGrowthFactors
pH
manyspeciesofbacteriaareinhibitedbylowpH,
includingmostpathogens

Testing soil pH

IntrinsicGrowthFactors
biologicalbarriers: shells,rinds

ExtrinsicFactors:
environmentalconditions
temperatureofstorage

protectfoodsfrom
invadingmicroorganisms

antimicrobialchemicals:

naturallyoccurringinsome
foods

belowfreezingwaterisunavailablefor
microorganisms
lowtemperatures(abovefreezing)enzyme
low temperatures (above freezing) enzyme
reactionsarenonexistentorslow
refrigeratedfoodmicrobialgrowthislikely
psychrophiles

eggwhiteshavelysozyme
whichwilldestroylysozyme
susceptiblebacteria

ExtrinsicFactors
atmosphere:presenceorabsenceofO2
obligateaerobes(needO2) wontgrowinsealed
containers
mayallowgrowthofanaerobicmicrobes
may allow growth of anaerobic microbes

MicroorganismsinFoodProduction
usingmicroorganismsforfood
productionhasbeendonefor
thousandsofyears
cheese,yeast,beer

microorganisms
microorganismsusedinfoodoften
used in food often
produceanacidicbyproductasa
resultofmetabolism
caninhibitgrowthofmanyspoilage
microorganisms
caninhibitgrowthofmanyfoodborne
pathogens
Yeast cells

FoodSpoilage:
undesirablechangesinfood

FoodborneIntoxication
illnessfrommicrobialexotoxin
microorganismdoesnotcausetheillness,the
toxinreleasedbythemicroorganismdoes

smellbad,tastebad,lookbad
probably are not harmful
probablyarenotharmful

commonexotoxinproducingmicroorganisms
p
g
g

microorganismsthatcausefoodspoilagecompete
withpathogens
inthecaseoffoodspoilagevs.pathogens,the
spoilersarewinning

Staphylococcusaureus

evidenceisobvious,thoughIwouldnteatanythingthat
smelledorlookedlikethat

Clostridiumbotulinum

FoodborneInfection
requiresconsumptionofmicroorganism
symptomaticabout1dayfollowingingestionof
contaminatedfood
commonfoodborne infectingmicroorganisms
Salmonella andCampylobacter
poultryproductinfections
lt
d t i f ti

Escherichiacoli 0157:H7
undercookedhamburger

Campylobacter

FoodPreservation:
preventinggrowthandmetabolicactivitiesof
microorganisms
spices,salting,dryingaremethodsthathave
beenaroundforyears
most common methods of current food
mostcommonmethodsofcurrentfood
preservationare
hightemperaturetreatment
lowtemperaturestorage
antimicrobialchemicals
irradiation

Salmonella