NEET Biology: Microbes In Daily Life Made Easy

NEET Biology: Microbes In Daily Life Made Easy

Irshad AnwarUpdated on 07 Mar 2022, 10:55 AM IST

Microbes include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, some algae, viruses, viroids, and also prions. Usually, microbes are considered harmful as they cause various diseases in humans, such as cholera, dysentery, Corona, Hepatitis, HIV, etc. However, not all microbes are harmful; some are beneficial and contribute to human welfare. They help us in our day-to-day activities, without us realizing their roles in our lives. Their usage can be broadly divided into the following categories:

NEET Biology: Microbes In Daily Life Made Easy
Microbes In daily life(Image: shutterstock)

Antibiotics and Vaccination

  • Chemicals, Enzymes and other Bioactive Molecules

  • Food and Beverages

  • Waste Management

  • Biocontrol

  • Bio-fertilizers

  • Antibiotics And Vaccination

    Antibiotics are sourced from microbes such as bacteria or fungi and kill or stop the growth of the disease-causing microbes. Penicillin, Streptomycin, Tetracycline and Erythromycin are some of the commonly known antibiotics which are made from fungi and bacteria. Antibiotics have greatly improved our capacity to treat deadly diseases such as plague, whooping cough, diphtheria and leprosy, which used to kill millions all over the globe.

    Vaccines are dead or weakened microbes, which are introduced in a healthy body to generate an immune response by producing suitable antibodies. The antibodies remain in the body and protect us from the disease-causing microbes. Several diseases, including cholera, tuberculosis, polio, smallpox and hepatitis can be prevented by vaccination.

    Chemicals, Enzymes And Other Bioactive Molecules

    Microbes are also used for commercial and industrial production of certain chemicals like organic acids, alcohols and enzymes which are used in a variety of industrial processes. For e.g. Bacterium Acetobacter aceti and Lactobacillus helps in production of acetic acid and lactic acid respectively. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used for the commercial production of ethanol. Lipases are used in detergent formulations and are helpful in removing oily stains from the laundry. Streptokinase produced by the bacterium Streptococcus is used as a ‘clot buster’ for removing blood clots. Another bioactive molecule, cyclosporin A, produced by the fungus Trichoderma polysporum, is used as an immunosuppressive agent. Statins produced by the yeast Monascus purpureus have been commercialized as blood-cholesterol lowering agents.

    Food And Beverages

    A number of traditional drinks and foods are also made by fermentation by microbes. Micro-organisms such as Lactobacillus and others commonly called lactic acid bacteria (LAB) grow in milk and convert it to curd. Sugar is converted into alcohol by yeast, by the process of fermentation. The dough used for making foods such as dosa and idli is fermented by bacteria. The dough used for making bread is fermented using baker’s yeast. It is used for fermenting malted cereals and fruit juices to produce ethanol as well. Microbes are also used to ferment

    fish, soybean, and bamboo shoots to make food. Bacteria and fungi are used to impart particular texture, taste, and flavor to the cheese. The large holes in ‘Swiss cheese’ are due to the production of a large amount of CO2 by a bacterium named Propionibacterium shermanii.

    Waste Management

    Microbes are used to treat sewage (wastewater) by the process of activated sludge formation and this helps in the recycling of water. In sewage treatment plants, useful aerobic microbes grow on this organic matter and consume it, significantly reducing the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) of the effluent, thereby reducing the pollution potential of wastewater. Further, some bacteria can grow anaerobically on the sewage, to produce a mixture of gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. These gases form biogas and can be used as a source of energy.

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    Biocontrol

    Biocontrol refers to the use of biological methods for controlling plant diseases and pests and is considered a better alternative to weedicides and pesticides. Bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis can be introduced into fields in order to control butterfly caterpillars. Fungus Trichoderma are free-living fungi that are very common in the root ecosystems and are effective biocontrol agents against several plant pathogens. Baculoviruses are pathogens that attack insects and other arthropods and have shown to have no negative impacts on plants, mammals, birds, fish or even on non-target insects.

    Biofertilizers

    Biofertilizers are organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and cyanobacteria, that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil. The root nodes of leguminous plants contain Rhizobium bacteria, which can fix atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which are used by the plant as a nutrient. Fungi can absorb phosphorus from soil and pass it to the plant. Cyanobacteria are autotrophic microbes widely found in aquatic and terrestrial environments, many of which can fix atmospheric nitrogen. In paddy fields, cyanobacteria serve as an important biofertilizer. Blue-green algae also add organic matter to the soil and increase its fertility.

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    Questions related to NEET

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to NEET ?

    First, understand the NEET syllabus clearly for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Focus only on the NCERT syllabus, as most NEET questions are directly or indirectly based on NCERT, especially in Biology and Chemistry. Avoid unnecessary reference books at this stage.

    Divide your 4 months into phases. In the first 2 months, focus on completing the entire syllabus. Study Biology daily, as it carries the highest weightage. Read NCERT Biology line by line, make short notes, and revise regularly. For Chemistry, give priority to NCERT for Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. Practice basic numericals and reactions consistently. In Physics, focus on understanding concepts and practicing standard questions rather than memorizing formulas.

    In the third month, start intensive revision along with topic-wise and full-length mock tests. Analyze each test carefully to identify weak areas and work on them. Improve time management and accuracy during this phase.

    In the last month, focus mainly on revision and mock tests. Revise NCERT multiple times, especially Biology diagrams, tables, and examples. Avoid learning new topics at the last moment. Maintain a proper sleep schedule and take short breaks to avoid burnout.

    Stay consistent, avoid distractions, and believe in your preparation. Even a few focused hours daily with proper planning can make a big difference. All the best!

    Scoring 600+ marks in NEET within 4 months is definitely challenging, especially if you are starting almost from scratch, but it is not impossible. It largely depends on your discipline, daily study hours, clarity of basics, and how smartly you plan your preparation.

    First, you need to be very realistic and focused. In 4 months, your main goal should be to strengthen NCERT-based concepts rather than trying to study everything in extreme detail. NEET questions are largely NCERT-oriented, especially in Biology and Chemistry. If you can master NCERT thoroughly, your chances improve significantly.

    Biology should be your top priority because it carries the maximum weightage and is comparatively scoring. Read NCERT line by line for both Class 11 and 12. Revise multiple times and practice MCQs daily. Even if Physics feels tough initially, focus on high-weightage and formula-based chapters like Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Semiconductors, Ray Optics, and Laws of Motion. Chemistry can be divided smartly: give more time to Organic and Inorganic NCERT, and practice numericals regularly for Physical Chemistry.

    You should ideally study 10–12 focused hours daily with a fixed timetable. Daily revision and weekly full-length mock tests are extremely important. Initially, your mock scores may be low, but what matters is consistent improvement and learning from mistakes. Analyze each test carefully to understand weak areas.

    Since you are already enrolled in another college, time management becomes even more important. Try to minimize distractions and use early mornings or late evenings effectively. Avoid too many reference books; stick to NCERT and one reliable question bank.

    That said, aiming for 600+ in 4 months is ambitious and depends on your learning speed and consistency. Even if you fall slightly short, a strong score improvement can still open opportunities in government or private colleges depending on category and cutoff trends.

    Stay disciplined, trust the process, and do not compare your journey with others. Many students have made significant jumps in short durations with focused effort. All the best.

    Hello,

    Here are the important naming reactions for the NEET preparation.

    Naming Reaction for NEET Preparation

    Hope it helps your preparation. Good luck.


    Hello

    If you are asking about Motilal Nehru Medical College (MLN Medical College), Prayagraj, then admission is strictly through the NEET exam. For MBBS in this medical college, students usually need a high NEET rank because the cutoff is quite competitive.

    In recent years, the closing ranks have often been within the top 20,000–30,000. This means you need a strong score to secure a seat. The exact marks may change every year depending on difficulty and competition.

    You can get more information by visiting Careers360.com.

    Hi

    If you are a class 12th (Arts Stream) student, then you are not directly eligible for the NEET exam because you must belong to the Medical Science stream and have main subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This exam contains questions from these three subjects. But you can fulfil your dream to become a doctor by completing these subjects in class 12th from an open school like NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling), and then you will be eligible for the NEET exam. You need to score 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This step is the correct way for you.

    Thank you.