Download Bacteria`s Role in the World

Bacteria’s Role in the World
Include all vocabulary and major information
Good For the Environment
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Nitrogen Fixation
o
Takes nitrogen in the air and changes it to a form a plant can use.
o
Attached to the roots of plants so they can make nitrogen available.
Recycling
o Bacteria decompose dead matter.
o This decomposing brings nutrients back into the environment.
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Cleaning Up
o Bioremediation – is the use of microorganisms in changing harmful
chemicals into harmless ones.
o
Used in oils spills, to absorb leftover oil.
o Removes pollutants from soil.
Good For People
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Bacteria in Food
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Bacteria are used to make many foods
o Lactose is the sugar in milk. Your body uses bacteria to break down this.
If you do not have enough you may be lactose intolerant. Because there
aren’t enough bacteria you can’t digest milk products and you would get a
stomachache.
Examples: yogurt, cheese, sausage, pickles
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Making Medicine
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Antibiotics are used to kill bacterial, and cure bacterial infections and
diseases.
o
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Bacteria are used to make antibiotics.
Insulin
o Insulin breaks down sugar in the body.
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Insulin is produced in labs in bacteria. This insulin is then given to
patients with Diabetes to help break down sugar in their body.
Genetic Engineering
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Genetic engineering is when scientists change the genes of bacteria, or
any other living thing.
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Used to make insecticides, cleaners and adhesives.
Harmful Bacteria
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Can harm the host cell and take nutrients from it.
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Can attack plants, animals, fungi, protists and even other bacteria.
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Pathogenic bacteria – are bacteria that cause disease.