BMY 3001

20/5/16
Yesterday our lesson continued on Microbial Genetics and Genetic Engineering. Dr. Fairol taught us on mutation. There are different types of mutation that causes different effect. For example, missenese mutation which one of the base of the codon is mutated and different amino acid is produced.  Moreover nonsense mutation causes a stop codon to be formed. Other than that, there are also other types of mutation.

After that, each group were given a topic to work on and to do presentation. Our group got the topic Spontaneous Mutation. We were allowed to go to the computer lab to prepare the mind map for presentation. Then, all of us have to gather in the classroom after 20 min. My group used popplet to work on the mind map.

The class ended with presentation of our group and another group. the remaining 4 groups presentation will be postponed to Monday.

Yakult Trip

16/5/2016
Today we went to Yakult factory in Seremban. We gathered at faculty biotech at 8.00am and started our journey around 8.30am.

When we reached there, another university also held a trip to Yakult factory and it was University Technology Mara.

First of all, we listened to a short talk regarding of the Yakult founder, probiotics as well as the benefits of drinking  Yakult daily. The founder of Yakult was Shirota, a Japanese man. The bacteria used in Yakult is Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain. It is used rather than other bacteria because its the most resistant to gastric juice among Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Its one of the probiotics. Not all good bacteria is considered as probiotics but all probiotics is bacteria. A bacteria which stay in intestine and still alive in the intestine and has proved good effect on health is considered as probiotics.

We were advised to drink Yakult because it can increase the count of probiotics in the intestine and reduce the bad bacteria which produce toxin. Probiotics can strengthen our immunity, reduce certain cancer cells, prevent constipation and improve diarrhea.
After that, we were brought to visit the production and processing units of Yakult.

Firstly, the Lactobacillus casei was brought from their mother company and multiply in the multiplying room. Sugar, water, L. casei and skim milk powder were added in a machine and cultured. Then they were let to ferment in fermentation room and diluted. They were then stored and packaged. I think the whole process was quite easy but the products were very tasty. We ended the visit by taking a lot of pictures.

BMY 3001

13/5/16
Yesterday the class was on Microbial Genetics and Genetic Engineering. We were divided into 3 groups to present conjugation, transduction and transformation. The 1st group was combined with the 2nd group, 3rd with the 4th group and 5th with the 6th group. My group and 2nd group presented on bacterial conjugation topic. Bacterial conjugation is the transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells by direct cell-to-cell contact or by a bridge-like connection between two cells.It is a type of horizontal gene transfer. 

The plasmid transferred to recipient is also beneficial to recipient as its antibiotic resistant and xenobiotic tolerant. The plasmid also causes the recipient to be able to use new metabolites.  

Before the class ended, we were reminded on that next Monday morning we are going to pay a visit to Yakult factory. we would have to gather at 8.00am and begin our journey.This made all of us so excited.

BMY 3001

6/5/2016

Yesterday class was taken over by Dr. Wan . It was very glad to see Dr. Wan after so long. We did some activities where each of us were required to explain a part of the topic to other groups. We were given 10 min to prepare and another 10 min to explain to the next group. I was in group 1 so my group was the first group to start the activity. My part was on definition of ecology and hierarchy. I searched on some website to know more about that.



Initially I was not very sure with what is biosphere but I found that it means the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. It is a closed system where it is apart from the cosmic radiation and the high temperature in the interior of the Earth. All in all, it ,means the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors on the surface of  the Earth.



In the end, the last group came to us and told us the extra information that they have gathered from other groups. However, I found out that the information was almost the same. So it was disappointingly unproductive and non-informative. The class ended with the explanation on the topic by Dr. Wan.