Download Helpful Bacteria Reading

Helpful Bacteria Reading
Cyanobacteria/Cyanophyta
Characteristics: Gram-negative, rod-shaped
Presence: Cyanobacteria are mainly aquatic bacteria but
are also found on bare rocks and in soil.
Benefit: Also known as blue-green algae and blue-green
bacteria, they are a group of environmentally significant
bacteria. They bring about nitrogen fixation in aquatic
habitats. Their calcification and decalcification abilities
make them essential for maintaining coral reef ecosystem
balance.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lactobacillus/Döderlein's bacillus
Characteristics: Gram-positive, rod-shaped
Presence: Lactobacilli species are present in milk and dairy
products, fermented foods and also form part of our oral,
intestinal microflora. L. acidophilus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum,
etc., are some of the most predominant species.
Benefit: Lactobacilli are known for their ability to utilize
lactose and produce lactic acid, as a metabolic byproduct.
This ability to ferment lactose makes lactobacilli an
important ingredient for preparing fermented foods. It is
also an important part of the pickling process since lactic
acid serves as a preservative. The formation of yogurt from
milk is done through what is called, fermentation. Certain
strains are even used commercially for the production of
yogurt. In mammals, lactobacilli aid the breakdown of lactose during digestion. The resulting acidic
environment prevents the growth of other microbes in the body tissues. Being so, lactobacilli are an
important part of probiotic formulations.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bifidobacterium
Characteristics: Gram-positive, branched, rod-shaped
Presence: Bifidobacteria are present in the gastrointestinal
tract of humans.
Benefit: Similar to lactobacilli these are also known for lactic
acid production. In addition, it also produces acetic acid. This
inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria by controlling pH
levels in the intestines. B. longum helps in the breakdown of
non-digestible plant polymers. B. longum and B. infantis help
prevent diarrhea, candidiasis, and other yeast infections in
infants and children. Owing to these benefits, this particular
species are also included in commercially available probiotics.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Characteristics: Gram-negative, rod-shaped
Presence: E. coli is a part of the normal microflora of small
and large intestines.
Benefit: E. coli helps in the breakdown of undigested
monosaccharide sugars and thus aid digestion. These
bacteria produce vitamin K and biotin which are essential for
a variety of cellular processes.
Note.- Certain strains of E. coli can cause severe toxicity, diarrhea, anemia, and kidney failure.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Streptomyces
Characteristics: Gram-positive, filamentous
Presence: They are widely found in soil, water, and
decaying matter.
Benefit: Streptomyces spp. play an important role in soil
ecology by bringing about the decomposition of organic
matter present in soil. As a result, they are being explored
as agents for bioremediation. S. aureofaciens, S. rimosus,
S. griseus, S. erythraeus and S. venezuelae are some of the
commercially important species used for the production
of antibacterial and antifungal compounds.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________