Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Microbes in Human Welfare

Question:

Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions.

We use microbes and microbially derived products almost every day. Bacteria called lactic acid bacteria (LAB) grow in milk to convert it into curd. The dough, which is used to make bread, is fermented by yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microbes are used to produce industrial products like lactic acid, acetic acid and alcohol, which are used in a variety of processes in the industry. However, certain bacteria, which grow anaerobically on cellulosic material, produce large amount of methane along with $CO_2$ and $H_2$. These bacteria are collectively called methanogens, and one such common bacterium is Methanobacterium. These bacteria are commonly found in the anaerobic sludge during sewage treatment. Microbes are also used for commercial and industrial production of certain chemicals like organic acids, alcohols and enzymes. Examples of acid producers are Aspergillus niger (a fungus) of citric acid. You are familiar with the commonly used antibiotic Penicillin. Do you know that Penicillin was the first antibiotic to be discovered, and it was a chance discovery? Statins produced by the yeast Monascus purpureus have been commercialised as blood-cholesterol lowering agents. It acts by competitively inhibiting the enzyme responsible for synthesis of cholesterol.

Citric acid is commercially obtained by Aspergillus niger, which is a:

Options:

Bacterium

Fungus

Algae

Virus

Correct Answer:

Fungus

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (2) → Fungus 

Microbes are used for commercial and industrial production of certain chemicals like organic acids, alcohols and enzymes. Examples of acid producers are Aspergillus niger (a fungus) of citric acid, Acetobacter aceti (a bacterium) of acetic acid; Clostridium butylicum (a bacterium) of butyric acid and Lactobacillus (a bacterium) of lactic acid. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used for commercial production of ethanol.