How are prokaryotes useful to humans?

Question

I'm doing a Biology essay and have found a large amount of information on prokaryotes using the Internet but cannot find what their purpose is or how they are useful to us. Help, please!

Answer 1

Prokaryotes consists almost entirely of two main groups: Archaea and Bacteria, of which bacteria are more common. And because most archaea live in extreme conditions such as hot springs, arctic conditions, highly acidic or alkaline soils, etc, it is probably useful to us humans in less ways than the bacteria.

Bacteria are useful to humans in various ways:
1) they form the natural flora in some parts of our body and prevents overgrowth of pathogenic species and fungi. eg. on the skin and in our large intestines.
2) they help us in the production of certain fermented foods, such as cheese and yoghurt.
3) they help break down organic matter in our garbage, in the soil and also includes breaking down of dead organisms to re-usable nutrients, otherwise our world will be full of garbage and dead matter.

I believe there are a few other usefulness of prokaryotes, but the above are the more obvious ones I know of.

Answer 2

Most prokaryotes are bacteria, and the two terms are often treated as synonyms.It is generally accepted that the first living cells were some form of prokaryote and may have developed out of protobionts. Fossilized prokaryotes approximately 3.5 billion years old have been discovered, and prokaryotes are perhaps the most successful and abundant organism even today. In industry, prokaryotes are important in processes such as wastewater treatment, the production of cheese and yoghurt, and the industrial production of antibiotics and other chemicals

Answer 3

Prokaryotes are found in nearly all environments on earth. Archaea in particular seem to thrive in harsh conditions, such as high temperatures or salinity. Organisms such as these are referred to as extremophiles. Many prokaryotes live in or on the bodies of other organisms, including humans.

Answer 4

E. coli is a prokaryote, and lives in out digestive tracts. Look up what they do for us.

Answer 5

By cutting the human gene that is used to produce insulin and grafting it on a bacteria like E.coli, we are able to produce insulin. Before we had to get it from pigs which was very inefficient. That is one simple way in which bacteria make our lives better.

Answer 6

hey i just learned about these little thingers, well i dont know how they help us but i know that most of prokaryotics (monerans) are bacteria and bacteria help us in many ways... i know it's hard and it sucks... goodluck!

Answer 7

Sadly, I don't know either, which is awful because i just had to take my final. Wish i could help you so you don't end up in the same situation.