Final answer:
Microbial cells engage in various activities such as metabolic processes, decomposition, fermentation, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing, vital for ecological systems and useful in biotechnological applications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Activities of Microbial Cells:
The activities of microbial cells are central to sustaining life on Earth and include a variety of biochemical and ecological processes. Although you've asked for a list of seven, here's a broader perspective regarding their activities:
- Metabolic pathways: Bacteria and Archaea have diverse metabolic abilities, including nitrogen fixation, methane production, and anoxygenic photosynthesis.
- Decomposition: Microorganisms play a crucial role in the decomposition of dead plants and animals, recycling essential nutrients.
- Fermentation: Microbes carry out fermentation to produce various metabolites, which are beneficial to humans and animals. This is exploited in industrial processes.
- Identification based on biochemistry: Bacteria can be identified by the specific biochemical products they synthesize, such as certain enzymes or fermentation products.
- Cell division patterns: Microbes may reproduce by multiple mechanisms, including multiple nucleoid formation, asymmetric division, budding, and spore formation.
- Biofilms: Microbial cells can form biofilms, which are complex communities that protect them from environmental stresses, including antibiotics.
- Diverse nutritional strategies: Microbes are known for their ability to degrade a wide range of substances for carbon and energy, going beyond simple carbohydrates.
- Response to stimuli: Microbes can respond to abiotic or biotic stimuli, including quorum sensing for coordination among cells.
These activities reflect the complexity and importance of microbial life in ecological systems and in biotechnological applications.