Scope of Microbiology
In the previous post, various branches of microbiology were
discussed, and with the view of that it is well understood that microbiology
has a wide range of scope. It has an impact on medicine, agriculture, food
science, ecology, genetics, biochemistry, immunology, and many other fields.
Based on the specific groups of the microorganisms, the specialists are known
as bacteriologist (Specialist in Bacteria study), virologists (specialist in
virus study), mycologist (specialist in fungi study), and so on. Hence,
different branches of microbiology have different roles in the advancement of pharmaceutical
sciences where microbiologists are actively involved in a research study
(immunology, virology, chemotherapy, genetics, etc.), help to perform
diagnostic tests, develops antibiotics and vaccines, protects the environment
and plays an important role in food and beverages industries.
Some of the recent scopes are highlighted below:
1. Ecology and environment: Bacteria are primary decomposers as they recycle nutrients back into the environment.
- Winogradsky and M. Beijerinck studied soil microbes
and their roles in the sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen biochemical cycles.
- Some bacteria are used as bio-pesticides to control
insect pests. For example, Bacillus thuringiensis.
- Microbes are also used to clean up pollutants and
toxic wastes through bioremediation. For example, Pseudomonas putida is used to
remove petroleum spills.
2. Food microbiology: Microbes are used in various
food and dairy industries to produce various food products like cheese,
pickles, sauerkraut, green olives, yogurt, soy sauce, vinegar, bread etc.
Pasteur (1856) described fermentation technology which helped in the production
of Beer, Wine, Alcohol, etc.
3. Medicines: clinical and pharmaceutical microbiology: Disease Treatment: Microbes are used to produce Antibiotics like Penicillium notatum (Penicillin); discovered by Alexander Fleming (1928). Bacteria also synthesize vitamins that are needed for our body like E. coli. Vitamin B and K are needed for metabolism and blood clotting respectively. Recently, gene therapy for the treatment of genetic diseases has advanced the scope of microbiology in the medical field.
4. Vaccine and immunology: Vaccine activates immune
response. Sir Edward Jenner inoculated people with cowpox to protect against
smallpox. Thereafter Pasteur developed the rabies vaccine (1885), and Von
Behring and Kitasato (1890) produced a toxoid vaccine against diphtheria and
tetanus. Furthermore, Metchnikoff (1884) described the role of phagocytic cells
in defense.
5. Genetic engineering: Microorganisms are used in
Recombinant DNA Technology to manipulate their gene for the production of
enzymes, hormones, interferons, etc. Microorganisms are used as model organisms
in molecular biology.
6. Biochemistry and physiology: Microorganisms are
used as a model for the study of many biochemical and physiological processes.
7. Industrial microbiology: Microbes are used for
economic and industrial purposes. Biotechnology, fermentation technology, food,
beverages, etc. are now established on a large industrial scale for income and
there is a scope of Patient rights for the procedure used. Proteases and amylase
from bacillus are used in textile and detergent industries. Thiobacillus is
used in metal processing from mines. Methanococcus is used for the production
of methane in the fuel industry.
8. Agriculture microbiology: Genetic engineering is
used for the production of transgenic plants and animals for better production,
resistant to environmental fluctuation. Transgenic animals or plants are used
as bioreactors for mass production through molecular farming.
9. Geochemical microbiology: Bioleaching: Recovery of
minerals from low-grade ores also plays a role in the geochemical cycle.
10. Exomicrobiology: It is also exploring for life in
outer space.
Flowchart: Scope of microbiology in various fields
Importance of Microbiology
Microbiology is a part of our daily life and plays a vital
role in the health care system. The importance of microbiology began with the
discovery of antibiotics which prevent serious infections. Thereafter
vaccination and better sanitation practices reduced the incidence of infectious
diseases and most infectious diseases were under control but some are
reappearing because pathogens are showing increasing resistance to antibiotics.
Hence, many new diseases are emerging and many harmless organisms are
discovered as causative agents for new diseases. Furthermore, interest in
bioterrorism has progressed over the past few eras. Bioterrorism is terrorism
involving the intentional release or dissemination of any pathogenic
microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, or toxins that may be in a natural or a
human-modified form. The common examples of bioterrorism are anthrax, smallpox,
botulinum toxin, bubonic plague, H1N1, AIDS/HIV, zika and ebola viruses, etc.
Recently, microbiologists have also invented the detection of bioterrorism
events at the earliest possible moment through RODS (Real-time Outbreak Disease
Surveillance). This process is known as biosurveillance. Biosurveillance
is the science of real-time disease outbreak detection. Its principles are
applied to both natural and man-made epidemics. A tiny electronic chip has been
invented to identify a broad range of toxins. It contains living nerve cells
that warn of the presence of bacterial toxins. Another fiber optic tube that is
lined with antibodies coupled to light-emitting molecules identifies specific
pathogens like anthrax, botulinum, etc. Recent research invented ultraviolet
avalanche photodiodes which detect anthrax and other bioterrorism agents in the
air in advance. Vaccines are in the research stage to control and prevent many
endemic diseases. Recently, the vaccine has been discovered for the treatment
of the dengue virus. India is currently working on vaccines to prevent dengue
and by the year 2020, it will be in the Indian market. Recently in 2017, a
vaccine was discovered against malaria which is 100% effective. The importance
of microbiology in various fields is such as:
Pharmaceutical industry: Pharmacists are discovering
various antimicrobial drugs to prevent an escalating number of communicable
diseases by understanding the human cell mechanism. They work with
microbiologists to ensure that drug therapies target the opportunistic microbes
without harming their human host. Another important role in pharmaceuticals is
the use of medically important studies on microbes, such as Bacteriorhodopsin,
a protein from the plasma membrane of Halobacterium salinarum.
Medical devices: Microbiology plays a significant
role in medical devices like fluorescent fusion. It is mainly used for fast and
precise detection of pathogens in tissue samples. It is a technology for
carrying out immunofluorescence studies that may be applied to find specific
cells in complex biological systems. Thereafter ultraviolet avalanche
photodiodes are devices that detect anthrax and other bioterrorism agents in
the air.
Cosmetic microbiology: Microbial contamination in
cosmetic products is a major concern to the industry. Contamination with
microorganisms has become a major cause of both product and economic losses.
Not only that, they are also converted into products hazardous to consumers.
The water and nutrients present in cosmetics make them susceptible to microbial
growth. More often, microorganisms are the cause of offensive odors and changes
in viscosity and color.
Microbiological processes are used in waste treatment,
particularly dumping, waste incineration, composting, and biomethanization.