Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson students will be able to;

1. Explain the roles of prokaryotes in maintaining the health
of the environment.
2. Explain the roles of prokaryotes in humans.
3. Explain the roles of prokaryotes in animals
4. Explain the roles prokaryotes in Bioremediation.
Prokaryotic cells?
The first life on Earth.

For two billion years prokaryotic cells were the only living things on Earth
and spread to almost every corner of the planet.

Today they are still the most abundant and diverse organisms on Earth and
more prokaryotes are found in one handful of soil than all the humans that
have ever existed.
 Student Activities
Question-[Read information sheet and answer the question given below]
1. How do microorganisms affect the environment?
2. What is bioremediation? How does it help in maintaining a healthy
environment?
3. Everyday living organisms die due to various reasons. Fifteen years from now
we expect huge numbers of dead and decayed materials gathered with all the
places filled with the remains of living organisms. Much to our surprise, we see
our environment clean and clear without the dead remains of plants and
animals. Justify.
4. List the role of prokaryotes in following fields.
a. Ecosystems
b. Human
c. Animals
d. Bioremediation.
 Lesson Closure
Choose Question

Question 2
Question 1

Question 4
Question 3

Question 5 Question 6
Information
Prokaryotic cells make up the
organisms found in the two
Kingdoms of life known
as Bacteria and Archaea.
Archaea.
 microscopic organisms
 single-celled organisms.
 lack a nucleus
Bacteria
 Bacteria are ancient, microscopic organisms that are
found everywhere on Earth.
 All bacteria are single-celled organisms.
 They have prokaryotic cells so they don’t have a
nucleus or organelles.
Types of bacteria
 Helpful bacteria
 Harmful bacterial
Helpful bacteria[Some examples]
E coli helps in the food digestion. Example of Archaea.
 Lactobacillus is found in curd, and can  Methanogens are
ferment milk into cheese and yoghurt. anaerobic archaea that
 Nitrogen-fixing bacteria[Rhizobium] is produce methane gas
found in leguminous plant/soil transforming
atmospheric nitrogen into fixed nitrogen
from carbon dioxide and
(inorganic compounds usable by plants). hydrogen gas.
 Bifidobacterium bacteria occur naturally
inside our body which lives in the intestine  They can be found in
and helps to break down food and prevent
issues like constipation and diarrhoea. places such as the guts of
 Streptomyces found in soil used in making cattle and in flooded
antibiotics soils of wetlands.
Prokaryotes provide nutrients to humans and other animals.
Prokaryotes live in digestive systems of animals.
make vitamins
break down food
fill niches

Bacteria help ferment many foods.

yogurt, cheese
 pickles, sauerkraut
 soy sauce, vinegar
Prokaryotes play important roles in ecosystems.
Prokaryotes have many functions in ecosystems.
photosynthesize
recycle carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulfur
fix nitrogen
Decomposes death remains

Bioremediation uses prokaryotes to break down pollutants.

oil spills
biodegradable materials
Bioremediation
is a branch of biotechnology that employs the use of living organisms,
like microbes and bacteria, in the removal of contaminants, pollutants,
and toxins from soil, water, and other environments.
Bioremediation may be used to clean up contaminated groundwater or
environmental problems, such as oil spills.
Bioremediation offers numerous advantages over other cleanup methods.
By relying solely on natural processes, it minimizes damage
to ecosystems. Bioremediation often takes place underground, where
amendments and microbes can be pumped in order to clean up
contaminants in groundwater and soil. Consequently, bioremediation does
not disrupt nearby communities as much as other cleanup methodologies.