Question

The Yield factor (Y) is the measure of the efficiency of

• A. Conversion of anyone substrate into biomass
• B. Conversion of all the substrates into biomass
• C. The affinity of an enzyme to the substrate
• D. Number of microbes which produced the biomass

Hint:

The Yield factor is an important parameter in biotechnological processes, as it helps optimize the use of substrates in industrial microbial production.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The Yield factor (Y) is a measure of how efficiently a microorganism converts a given substrate into biomass. In other words, it quantifies the amount of biomass produced per unit of substrate consumed. This efficiency can vary depending on the type of microorganism, the nature of the substrate, and environmental conditions.

(1) Conversion of Any One Substrate into Biomass:
- The yield factor is typically calculated for individual substrates (e.g., glucose, nitrogen) and indicates how much biomass can be produced from a given amount of the substrate.

(2) Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
- Conversion of all substrates into biomass (Option 2) is not a typical application of the yield factor, as it specifically refers to the conversion of a single substrate into biomass.
- The affinity of an enzyme to the substrate (Option 3) relates to enzyme kinetics, not the efficiency of biomass production.
- Number of microbes which produced the biomass (Option 4) is related to cell count but does not directly measure the conversion efficiency of substrates into biomass.

Conclusion: The Yield factor (Y) measures the efficiency of the conversion of a specific substrate into biomass during microbial growth.