Name the scientists who were credited for showing the role of penicillin as an antibiotic?
Penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming while, working on Staphylococci bacteria. However, its full potential as an effective antibiotic was established much later by Ernst Chain and Howard Florey.
This antibiotic was extensively used to treat American soldiers wounded in World War II. Fleming, Chain and Florey were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945, for this discovery.
How do bioactive molecules of fungal origin help in restoring good health of humans?
Some bioactive molecules of fungal origin have been reported for their role in restoring good health of humans.
Cyclosporin-A, that is used as an immuno-suppressive agent in organ transplant patients is produced by the fungus Trichoderma polysporum. Statins produced by yeast Monococcus purpureus have been commercialised as blood cholesterol lowering agents.
What roles do enzymes play in detergents that we use for washing clothes? Are these enzymes produced from some unique microorganisms?
Enzymes like lipases are used in detergent which formulations, cause breakdown of oils and thus help in removing oily and greasy stains from the clothes in laundry.
These are obtained from Candida lipolytica and Geotrichum candidum.
What is the chemical nature of biogas. Name an organism which is involved in biogas production?
The chemical nature of biogas is $\mathrm{CH}_4, \mathrm{CO}_2, \mathrm{H}_2$ and a trace amount of $\mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{~S}$ Methanobacteria, a type of methanogen is employed for biogas production.
How do microbes reduces the environmental degradation causes by chemicals?
Chemicals from fertilisers and pesticides are highly toxic to human beings and animals alike, and have been polluting our environment. To reduce the environmental degradation caused by chemicals, microbes can be used both as fertilisers and pesticides and can be called biofertilisers and biopesticides, respectively.
Microbes are used as biofertilisers to enrich the soil nutrients, e.g., Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, etc., which can fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria act as biopesticides to control the growth of insect pests.
Trichoderma, fungal species, is effective bicontrol agent of several plant pathogens. Baculovirus used as biological control agents in genus Nucleopolyhedrovirus are excellent for species-specific, narrow spectrum insecticidal applications.