Question

Which among the following products of microbes is not obtained from fungi ?

• A. Penicillin
• B. Statins
• C. Swiss cheese
• D. Cyclosporin-A

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The question asks to identify which product listed is not obtained from a fungus.

Let's examine the source of each product: 

• Penicillin: This is one of the first discovered antibiotics. It is produced by the mold (a type of fungus) Penicillium notatum (or Penicillium chrysogenum). So, this is obtained from a fungus.
• Statins: These are blood cholesterol-lowering agents. Statin (specifically lovastatin, one of the first) was isolated from the fungus Aspergillus terreus. Mevastatin comes from Penicillium citrinum. So, statins are obtained from fungi.
• Swiss cheese: This cheese is characterized by its large holes ('eyes') and distinct flavour. These features are primarily due to the activity of a bacterium, Propionibacterium shermanii. This bacterium ferments lactic acid to produce propionic acid (contributing to flavour) and large amounts of carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)), which forms the holes. While other microbes might be involved in cheese making, the key characteristic production for Swiss cheese relies on this bacterium, not a fungus.
• Cyclosporin-A: This is an immunosuppressive drug widely used in organ transplant patients to prevent rejection. It is produced by the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum. So, this is obtained from a fungus.

Therefore, the product among the options that is not obtained from fungi is Swiss cheese.

Answer 2

Among the following products of microbes:

• Penicillin: This antibiotic is derived from the fungus Penicillium.
• Statins: These are cholesterol-lowering drugs, and the most common statins are produced by fungi, particularly Aspergillus species.
• Swiss cheese: Swiss cheese is made through bacterial fermentation, not fungal fermentation. It involves bacteria such as Propionibacterium freudenreichii that produce gas, forming holes in the cheese.
• Cyclosporin-A: This immunosuppressive drug is obtained from the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum.

Since Swiss cheese is produced by bacteria, not fungi, the correct answer is (C) : Swiss cheese.