Microbial Metabolism (Burton's Microbiology for the Health Sciences)

Microbial physiology

the study of the vital life processes of microorganisms

carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur

what are the six major elements that all living protoplasm contain?

metabolism

refers to all the chemical reactions occurring within a cell

metabolic reactions

the build-up and breakdown of nutrients within a cell and is also referred as the sum of all chemical reactions within the living organism

catabolism and anabolism

what are the two classes of chemical reactions?

catabolism

it is the breakdown of complex organic compounds into simpler ones

catabolism

it is also known as Degradative reactions and exhibits an exergonic reaction

anabolism

the building of complex organic molecules from simpler ones

anabolism

also known as Biosynthetic reactions and exhibits an endergonic reaction

catalysts

substance that can speed up a chemical reaction without being permanently altered themselves

enzymes

catalysts that increase the rate of chemical reactions without becoming part of the products or being consumed in the reactions

enzyme substrate

the chemical substance an enzyme acts on

active site

a region of an enzyme that interacts with a specific chemical substance

enzyme-substrate complex

formed by the temporary binding of enzyme and reactants

enzyme-substrate complex

enables the collision to be more effective and lowers the activation energy of the reaction

oxidation-reduction reaction

a reaction that involves removal and addition of electrons to molecules

redox reaction

an oxidation reaction paired with a reduction reaction

carbohydrate metabolism

the breakdown of carbohydrate molecules to produce energy

respiration and fermentation

what are the two major groups of glucose metabolism?

respiration

a glucose metabolism group where glucose is completely broken down

fermentation

a glucose metabolism group where glucose is partially broken down

Embden-Meyerhof pathway or Glycolysis

allows the oxidation of glucose to pyruvic acid with the production of some ATP and energy-containing NADH

cellular respiration

an ATP generating process in which molecules are oxidized and the final electron acceptor is an inorganic molecule

aerobic and anaerobic respiration

what are the two types of cellular respiration?

aerobic respiration

a type of cellular respiration where the final acceptor is O2 (oxygen gas)

Krebs cycle

a series of biochemical reactions in which the large amount of potential chemical energy stored in acetyl CoA is released step by step

Krebs cycle

in this cycle, a series of oxidations and reductions transfer the potential energy in the form of electrons

ETC (Electron Transport Chain)

consists of a sequence of carrier molecules that are capable of oxidation and reduction

anaerobic respiration

a type of cellular respiration where the final electron acceptor is an inorganic molecule

fermentation

a process that releases energy from sugars or other organic molecules such as amino acids, purines, and pyrimidines and uses an organic molecule as the final electron acceptor

photosynthesis

the conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy

phototrophs

an organism that uses light as the primary energy source

chemotrophs

an organism that depends on oxidation-reduction reactions of organic or inorganic compounds as primary energy source

autotrophs

an organism that produces its own food (self-feeder) using carbon dioxide

heterotrophs

an organism that feeds on others and requires an organic carbon source and are also referred as organotrophs

photoautotrophs

an organism that uses light as a source of energy and CO2 as their chief source of carbon

photoheterotrophs

an organism that uses light as a source of energy but cannot convert carbon dioxide to sugar; rather, use organic compounds as a source of carbon

chemoautotrophs

an organism that uses electrons from the reduced inorganic compounds as a source of energy and CO2 as their principal source of carbon

chemoheterotrophs

an organism that uses complex organic molecules as their carbon and energy sources

bacterial growth

refers to an increase in the number of organisms rather than an increase in size