Back to: MICROBIOLOGY 400 LEVEL
Welcome to class!
Hello, my ever-determined scholar! You’re doing something powerful by showing up consistently to grow your knowledge. Today’s lesson is both interesting and practical. We’re learning about Secondary Metabolites: Antibiotics and Enzymes—two important products of microbial life that are widely used in health, food, and many other industries. Let’s break it down in a way that feels close to home and easy to understand.
Secondary Metabolites: Antibiotics, Enzymes
Secondary metabolites are substances produced by microorganisms, but unlike primary metabolites, they are not essential for the organism’s growth or survival. Instead, they are produced after the growth phase, often during the stationary phase when the organism is no longer multiplying rapidly.
Even though they are not necessary for microbial survival, these metabolites serve important purposes—like helping the microbe compete with others or survive harsh conditions. Interestingly, they have become extremely valuable to humans, especially in medicine and industry.
Let’s look closely at two major secondary metabolites: antibiotics and enzymes.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are substances that kill or stop the growth of other microorganisms. They are mostly produced by bacteria and fungi to protect themselves from competing microbes. For example, Streptomyces species, found in the soil, produce several important antibiotics like streptomycin, tetracycline, and erythromycin.
In industrial settings, these antibiotics are produced through fermentation. Microorganisms are cultured in large tanks with carefully controlled conditions, and after a few days, the antibiotics they secrete are extracted, purified, and made into drugs.
These drugs are then used in hospitals and clinics all over Nigeria and the world to treat infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and urinary tract infections.
Enzymes
Enzymes are proteins produced by microbes that help speed up chemical reactions. Some of them are secondary metabolites and are used in industries for different purposes. For example, Aspergillus niger produces enzymes like amylase, used to break down starch in food processing. Another example is protease, which breaks down proteins and is used in detergent manufacturing and leather processing.
In Nigeria, enzymes are used in breweries to improve beer clarity, in food industries to process cassava or maize into syrup, and in detergents to remove stains from clothes.
Think of when you take antibiotics from the pharmacy to treat an infection—that medicine likely came from a microbe that naturally produces it. Or when your mum washes clothes with modern detergent, the enzymes in the soap help break down stains, making washing easier. That’s microbial power at work!
Summary
- Secondary metabolites are compounds produced by microorganisms after their growth phase, and are not essential for survival.
- Antibiotics like streptomycin and tetracycline are produced by microbes such as Streptomyces to fight off competing organisms.
- Antibiotics are widely used in medicine to treat bacterial infections.
- Enzymes such as amylase and protease are used in food, brewing, detergent, and leather industries.
- These secondary metabolites are produced in industrial fermentation processes and have significant commercial value.
Evaluation
- What is the main difference between primary and secondary metabolites?
- Name two antibiotics that are secondary metabolites and the organisms that produce them.
- List two industrial uses of microbial enzymes.
Every concept you master is a step towards your academic excellence and a powerful career ahead. Keep your mind open, your questions flowing, and your passion alive. Afrilearn is right here with you—always cheering you on. See you in the next class!