Penicillin is obtained from which of the following microorganism?

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) Fungi

Explanation:

• Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from the Penicillium fungi, specifically species like Penicillium notatum and Penicillium chrysogenum.

• It was the world's first "true" antibiotic, discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 when he noticed that a mold (fungus) killed nearby bacteria in a petri dish.

• As per NCERT Class 8 (Microorganisms: Friend and Foe), fungi are a group of eukaryotic organisms that include molds, mushrooms, and yeast.

• Penicillin works by interfering with the ability of bacteria to synthesize cell walls, which eventually causes the bacteria to burst and die.

• It is highly effective against many types of Gram-positive bacteria, such as those that cause pneumonia and strep throat.

Information Booster:

• Alexander Fleming, along with Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 for the discovery and mass production of penicillin.

• While the discovery happened in 1928, it was not used widely for treatment until World War II, where it saved millions of soldiers from infected wounds.

Additional Knowledge:Amoeba (Option a)

• Amoeba is a single-celled eukaryotic organism belonging to the kingdom Protista.

• It is characterized by its ability to change shape using pseudopodia (false feet).

• It is not a source of antibiotics; some species can actually cause diseases like amoebic dysentery.

Virus (Option b)

• Viruses are microscopic infectious agents that replicate only inside the living cells of an organism.

• Antibiotics like penicillin are ineffective against viruses because viruses do not have their own cell walls or metabolic machinery to target.

• Antiviral drugs and vaccines are used instead to manage viral infections.

Protozoa (Option c)

• Protozoa are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, which feed on organic matter.

• Examples include Plasmodium (which causes malaria) and Paramecium.

• They are categorized as animals in some older classifications but never as producers of medicinal antibiotics like penicillin.