Their benefits, however, far outweigh their harmful activities. In the environment they play a significant role in the geochemical cycling of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen. We also depend upon microbes to recycle sewage and wastes and to breakdown oil spills to keep our environment ecologically safe. In industry, we harness their metabolic capabilities to produce foods such as cheese, beverages, processed meats, pickles, soy sauce, sauerkraut, and bread. Chemicals and enzymes derived from a variety of microorganisms are used to manufacture various products used by man.
Microorganisms are the cornerstone of modern biotechnology and genetic engineering.
They have been genetically manipulated to produce therapeutics such as insulin, growth hormone, and interferon, as well as engineer pest resistance into plants. They are also playing a significant role in the sequencing of the human genome.