Answer to Question #183746 in Microbiology for hehe

Question

1. Describe how you would detect the presence of a non-culturable prokaryote in an environmental sample. 
2. Extremophiles are considered an important area for research in the development of therapeutic drugs or industrial applications. Why do you think this is so?

Answer 1

1. Recombinant DNA techniques are used to detect the presence of a non-culturable prokaryote in an environmental sample. Polymerase chain reaction is used to amplify selected portions of prokaryotic DNA.
2. Molecular biology techniques are used to detect the presence of a non-culturable prokaryote in an environmental sample. Electrophoresis is used to amplify selected portions of prokaryotic DNA.

2. Extremophiles can be altered genetically in vitro to allow them to live in extreme conditions and this capability of alteration can be used to help humans.