Answer to Question #285354 in Molecular Biology for riko

Question

1.  As an environmental engineer, you will follow the scientific method and start your work by generating a hypothesis first.

 

Formulate a hypothesis on how bacterial cells use their characteristics to take up hydrocarbons from oil spills. Specify the mode of transport through the cell membrane (active vs. passive/endocytosis vs. exocytosis) and support your claim with scientific reasoning.

Describe how these bacterial cells would take up hydrocarbons if:

-     they only possessed a cell membrane and lacked the cell wall.

-     they possessed membrane-bound organelles such as vesicles.

 

Include in your answer the lipid bilayer, structural components of cell membranes and those of cell walls and discuss the selective permeability characteristic of membranes. 

Answer 1

Bacteria can be used to clean up oil spills in the ocean through bioremediation. Specific bacteria can be used to bioremediate specific contaminants, such as hydrocarbons, which are present in oil and gasoline. If feathers come into contact with oil, the seabird ingests the oil while trying to preen.