Microbial Growth and Metabolism

This set of flashcards covers key terms related to microbial growth and metabolism, helping students to understand important concepts.

Facultative Anaerobes

Organisms that can grow in the presence or absence of oxygen but prefer to grow with oxygen.

Obligate Aerobes

Organisms that require oxygen for their metabolic processes and cannot grow without it.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming organic compounds produced by other organisms.

Autotrophs

Organisms that can produce their own food using carbon dioxide and energy from light or inorganic chemicals.

Quorum Sensing

A process by which bacteria communicate with one another to assess the density of their population.

Binary Fission

The most common form of reproduction in bacteria, where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells.

Biofilm

A complex aggregation of microorganisms adhering to surfaces, capable of communicating and interacting with each other.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The primary energy currency of cells, used to drive various biological processes.

Hemolysis

The breakdown of red blood cells by bacteria, which can be used to differentiate bacterial species.

pH (Potential Hydrogen)

A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution; crucial for the growth and metabolism of microorganisms.