Final answer:
Substances naturally produced by certain microorganisms that can inhibit or destroy other microorganisms are called antibiotics.
Antibiotics, like penicillin, are produced by fungi and are essential for treating infections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Substances that are naturally produced by certain microorganisms to inhibit or destroy other microorganisms are called antibiotics. These are not to be confused with other terms such as antigens, antiseptics, or antibodies, which have different functions.
Antibiotics are biotechnological products, primarily derived from fungi, and have been pivotal in treating infectious diseases by either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth.
Pharmaceutical companies produce antibiotics on a large scale through the cultivation and manipulation of fungal cells, frequently optimizing the yield through genetic modification of the fungal producers.
While many antimicrobials have synthetic counterparts, the term antibiotic technically refers to natural substances produced by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.
These substances can be mass-produced in labs and serve as an essential tool for controlling infections. Notable examples include penicillin, which was the first antibiotic discovered.