Microorganisms are living beings that cannot be seen with the naked eye. ‘Micro’ is a prefix that is used to describe something very small, while an ‘organism’ is a living thing. Commonly known microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, yeast, and algae. Microorganisms are frequently used in laboratories as tools for genetic engineeringGenetic engineering is a broad term that refers to the manipulation of an organism’s genetic (DNA) and other molecular biology techniques. For example, AstraZeneca modified the adenovirus (a type of virus that is known to infect various animals with a range of diseases including respiratory infections. It can also be used in a laboratory setting as a vector or carrier for DNA) to deliver the genetic instructions encoding the COVID-19 vaccine.
