Describe the ways in which algae and fungi are useful microbes

What will be an ideal response?


Algae and fungi are useful both in the biosphere in general and to humans in particular. Because algae are photosynthetic, they are major contributors to Earth's oxygen supply; in fact, one group of algae (the diatoms) is Earth's major source of oxygen, simply because of their vast numbers. Algae are also a foundation of the biosphere's food chain in their role as plankton. Algae are a source of chemicals, such as agar and alginic acid, which can be used as thickening agents and emulsifiers in industrial products.
Similarly, fungi are useful on two levels. In nature, they serve as recyclers of organic molecules and help plants retrieve water and nutrients from the soil. For humans, fungi play an enormous role in the food industry (in the manufacture of cheeses, bread, alcoholic beverages, and other items) and in medicine (in the production of antibiotics and other drugs). Fungi have also been instrumental tools in genetic research.

Biology & Microbiology

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The breakdown of ____ yields acetyl-CoA and carbon dioxide

a. phosphoglycerate b. pyruvate c. oxaloacetate d. PGAL e. fructose bisphosphate

Biology & Microbiology

Which process occurs during photosynthesis?

A) The light reactions produce NADP from sunlight energy. B) Carbon dioxide reacts with 5-carbon molecules during the Calvin cycle. C) ATP is released at the end of the Calvin cycle. D) Water captures the electrons released from excited chlorophyll pigments.

Biology & Microbiology

Pyrogens are produced by phagocytic white blood cells in response to infection. Pyrogens

A) increase the concentration of iron in the blood. B) relax the smooth muscle of arterioles delivering blood to the site of infection. C) initiate an increase in body temperature. D) are the chemicals that triggers an inflammatory response. E) kill bacteria by digesting their cell walls.

Biology & Microbiology

The substances to the right of the arrow in a statement of a chemical reaction are the

A. metabolites. B. substrates. C. products. D. reactants.

Biology & Microbiology