Metabolic Characteristics and Bacterial Growth Phases

most common energy source for bacteria

glucose

3 enzymes to breakdown oxygen products

catalse, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase

what does catalase break down

hydrogen peroxide

what does peroxidase break down

hydrogen peroxide

what does superoxide dismutase break down

superoxide radicals

must have oxygen to survive

obligate aerobe

aerobic but can grow in absence of oxygen

facultative anaerobe

what type of bacteria are most disease causing

facultative anaerobe

aerotolerant anaerobes that use fermentation

microaerophilic

cannot tolerate oxygen

obligate anaerobes

where in the mouth do obligate anaerobes live

in pockets

growth is slow and metabolic activity does not increase

lag phase

growth is rapid and microorganisms are most prone to breakdown

log/exponential phase

no increase or decrease in cell number

stationary phase

microbes die off

death phase