IMPACT OF FUNGI ON HUMANS
Fungi are eukaryotic, sporulating, heterotrophic organisms which acquire nutrients through absorption. Their vegetative bodies are made up of thalli and reproduce both asexually and sexually, although in some the sexual stage is not known. Various classes exist; basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, deuteromycetes, zygomycetes and oomycetes. The impact of fungi on humans cannot be underestimated. They play vital roles in the ecosystem, including the wellbeing of man. These roles can be beneficial or detrimental as discussed below.
Fungi are beneficial to man as normal flora, as, in medicine and production of pharmaceuticals, in agriculture and industrial applications as well as in biotechnology. Fungi are also significant
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These agents however have a residual effect besides contributing to environmental contamination. In an attempt to mitigate the negative effects of chemical pesticides and herbicides more individuals are warming up to the use of biocontrol agents; microorganisms that are natural enemies of other microorganisms. Entomopathogenic fungi such as Verticillium lecanii are now being commercially produced as bioinsecticides. Biocontrol entails mechanisms such as mycoparasitism, competition for resources, pathogenicity or allelopathy. This approach of weed and pest management offers a long-term solution as most biocontrol agents are species specific and persist in the environment with minimal interference of the natural …show more content…
Fungi are used in biotechnology as they are easy to culture and they occupy little space. They are widely used in production of enzymes through the recombinant DNA technology. A wide variety of enzymes have been produced by fungi. In the textile industry, catalases produced by A. niger and Penicillium species are used to treat and modify cotton fibers. Cellulases and xylanases from Trichoderma viride and T. reesei help in the tanning of leather finishing fabrics and making stonewashed jeans. An enzyme supplement BeanoTM used in cases of digestive discomfort is derived from α-galactosidase from Aspergillus terreus. Peroxidases and xylanases from Trametes and Phanerochaete are used in the bioleaching of cellulose in hardwood. Xylanases also break down the polysaccharide xylan. Lacase which is produced by many fungi is used in the making of paper. Enzymes are an alternative to harsh chemicals as they work under moderate conditions, reduce energy consumption and offer minimal risk both to humans and the environment. Vitamin B12 is synthesized by the fungus Ashbya gossipy. Lipases, peroxidases, oxidases together with protease enzymes are used in the manufacture of detergents and biosurfactants that are used as household detergents, industrial cleaners as well as in leather
There is always opposition to pesticides because of the harm that it can cause on the environment and the animals alike. Pesticides though have saved a lot of hard work for farmers over the past couple of decades because it does all the dirty work, for example, the killing of weeds and other pests. Pesticides have also saved a lot of money for farmers by preventing pests from damaging crops or taking the nutrients and water supply away from crops. (Whitford, 7) In the future we need to start to find less toxic ways to prevent pests from attacking the crops and vegetation. This would prevent a lot of the other costs associated with pesticides for example, health costs for farmers that are exposed to the toxic chemicals or the killing of the habitats in the surrounding areas.
Found in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. One of two types of bat found on P.E.I. Glossy brown fur and weigh between four and eleven grams. 4-5 cm long and a wingspan of 22-27 cm. Eat insects.
Because of its ability to affect a wide range of fungi, TTO may also affect fusarium euwallacea and prevent the PSHB from being able to cultivate it within the tree xylem. I hypothesize that TTO will act as a natural fungicide and prevent or lessen the severity of fusarium dieback on infested trees. The independent variable is the percent amount of fungicide recommended used on a tree, and the dependent variable is amount of fungus present in the
1. Issue Identification a. What is causing the identified problem? Exposure to Chloropicrin via soil fumigant, acres of land is being pest controlled by the agent Chloropicrin at a concentration of 80lbs/acre. b. Why is the problem a problem? 165 persons out of 172 reported physical symptoms that are suspected to be compatible with Chloropicrin, 99% of individuals had irritant reactions while 5% needed medical evaluations (CDC, 2003).
My first taste was in Costa Rica, where I studied leaf-cutter ants. My lab group studied the antifungal compounds of Pseudonocardia, a genus of bacteria found on Atta and Acromyrmex ants. Scientists have found that Pseudonocardia help protect the ants’ fungal gardens by inhibiting the growth of the parasitic fungus Escovopsis. My lab group tested whether other fungal species were also susceptible to the antifungal compounds. With a pseudo Kirby-Bauer test, we found that the presence of the bacteria inhibited the growth of Aspergillus, but not that of Penicillium.
Enzymes are a form of protein that lowers activation energy and speeds up reactions as a catalyst. They are made by the stringing together of an abundant amount of amino acids and folded into a specific shape for chemical reactions. Turnip Peroxidase is the enzyme used in this lab and is derived from the vegetable. Enzymes are not used up or permanently altered by their environment Peroxidases are found in a range of organisms and function to break down alcohol (H2O2) and creates byproducts of oxygen and water. In this experiment, the reducing agent guaiacol is added with the substrate, hydrogen peroxide, to create water and oxygen.
Each year, monarch butterflies migrate thousands of kilometres though North America. The larva of these butterflies eat only milkweed; the availability of which is decreasing due to urbanization, herbicide use, and pesticide use. In the past 20 years, 90% of the monarch butterfly population had died (2). The model I created shows four different pieces of information shown on top of a map of north America. The translucent blue coloured area represents the general living area of the Western and the Eastern migratory North American monarch butterfly populations (8).
Black molds and mildews are known for bringing about various health problems in human beings. Though they are essential for earth 's ecosystem, they are not at all good for our health. Indoor black molds can result in serious health issues for men, women, kids and seniors. Individuals with compromised immune system suffer a lot when exposed to black molds. Black Mold Health Effects: Mold spores are released in air.
The Another medium used was MAC, it is used to isolate and differentiate gram-negative organisms and it is a pink, dusty rose color. Lastly, the Citrate Slant is a green color and it was used as a differential test to examine enzymes. The media were inoculated at 37°C for 48 hours, then it was observed to determine the
Enzymes speed up chemical reactions enabling more products to be formed within a shorter span of time. Enzymes are fragile and easily disrupted by heat or other mild treatment. Studying the effect of temperature and substrate concentration on enzyme concentration allows better understanding of optimum conditions which enzymes can function. An example of an enzyme catalyzed reaction is enzymatic hydrolysis of an artificial substrate, o-Nitrophenylgalactoside (ONPG) used in place of lactose. Upon hydrolysis by B-galactosidase, a yellow colored compound o-Nitrophenol (ONP) is formed.
Pesticides and How it Works Abstract: A pest is "a plant or creature unfavorable to people or human concerns". Pesticide is Chemical or natural substance intended to slaughter or retard the development of pests that harm or meddle with the development of products, bushes, trees, timber and other vegetation coveted by people. Keywords: Antimicrobials, Antimicrobials, Herbicides Introduction:
At this time, there is little to no evidence that these pesticides are increasing yields from plants they are applied to. However, there has been evidence of the pesticides killing bees or causing damage to their nervous systems, which impedes their ability to forage and fly. Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health preformed a study which found that 70% of pollen and honey collected from local bees contained at least trace amounts of neonicotinoids. Levels found from these samples were enough to cause detrimental health effects. In a separate study, they found that over half of plants at a major garden store contained neonicotinoids.
Along with being found in plants, they are also present in liver cells, kidney cells, leukocytes and erythrocytes. For the concentration of enzyme experiment, the hypothesis was if the concentration of an enzyme increases, then the enzyme activity will increase as well. The hypothesis was proven to be true, because there are more enzymes to react with substrates. For the enzyme—factors affecting, the hypothesis concluded was if the temperature increases, than the enzyme activity will increase. This however was proven wrong, because enzymes become unstable at higher temperatures.
Fungi, is also an example of microbial life. They are unicellular or multicellular eukaryotes and are made up of a mass of threadlike hyphae forming mycelium. The cell wall are made from chitin. A mushroom is an example of
Usually, the microbial enzymes have various potential uses in industries and medicine. The microbial enzymes are also more reliable than plant and animal enzymes as they are more stable and active. Also the microorganisms demonstrate an alternative source of enzymes because they can be cultured in large quantities in a short time by fermentation and owing to their biochemical diversity and susceptibility to gene manipulation. Industries are looking for new microbial strains in order to produce different enzymes to fulfil the current enzyme