Understanding Microbes and Fungi: Our Unseen Allies

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Microbes are single-cell organisms that cannot be seen by the naked eyes and are found everywhere in the ecosystem. Microbes are important to human being as they aid in digesting the food, act as a decomposer and without them, there would be a lot less of oxygen to breathe. Around 3.5 billion years ago, microbes have already been living on this earth where there is just ocean. Studies of microbes help us understand the past and the future of human and the planet. Microbes can be divided into six main types; Archaea, Bacteria, Fungi, Protista, Viruses, and Microbial Mergers.
Fungi are multi-cellular organisms which are under the Kingdom Fungi and there are approximately 70,000 types of fungi. Fungi are similar to plant in term of their cell structure and both of them are immobile. However, fungi do not perform photosynthesis hence they need to feed on other organisms. Thus they are more related to animals than plants. Fungi are further classified into Chytridiomycota (Chytrids), Zygomycota , Ascomycota and Basidiomycota by the shape and structure of sporangia. Fungi are useful in several ways; in the production of vitamins and antibiotics, fermentation of cheese and alcohol and decomposition of organic matter which lead to renewal of …show more content…

The fermenter is a large cylindrical vessel that made up of stainless steel because stainless steel does not stain and rust and it is able to withstand the heat during fermentation. Before fermentation start, the vessel must be sterilised. A uniform distribution of sources and heat needed to be maintained during the process by stirring the liquid medium constantly using the stirrer paddle. Oxygen required for the growth of P.chrysogenum is obtained from the sterile air that is being pumped into the fermenter. Sterile air is necessary to prevent other microorganism from getting into the

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