microbio le2

What is required for all life processes according to microbial nutrition?

Electrons, energy, and nutrients are required for all life processes.

What process involves breaking down larger molecules into smaller units?

Catabolism.

What are anabolic reactions responsible for?

They are responsible for the synthesis of larger molecules from smaller ones, requiring energy.

What type of electron donor do litotrophs use?

Inorganic molecules.

What defines macronutrients in microbial nutrition?

They are nutrients required in larger quantities, necessary for cellular growth and function.

What is the role of water in microbial cells?

Water makes up about 80% of the wet weight of microbial cells.

What are the growth temperature ranges for psychrophiles?

They grow optimally at 15°C and can grow at temperatures as low as 0°C.

What defines an obligate aerobe?

An organism that cannot grow without oxygen.

What are capnophiles?

Microbes that grow best at higher levels of carbon dioxide than normally present in the atmosphere.

What does the term 'binary fission' refer to?

The process by which bacteria reproduce by replicating their DNA, elongating, and dividing into two cells.

What is the function of Min proteins in bacterial cell division?

They help determine the site of septum formation by inhibiting and organizing the polymerization of the FtsZ ring.

What is the significance of generation time in microbial growth?

It is the time taken by a bacterial population to double in number.

What are the main categories of oxygen usage by microbes?

Aerobes, facultative anaerobes, and obligate anaerobes.

What role do enzymes play in microbial metabolism?

Enzymes act as biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions within the cells.

What are extreme thermophiles?

Microorganisms that grow optimally at temperatures between 80°C and 121°C.

What is the definition of complex media?

Nutrient media with an unknown exact composition, often consisting of digests of beef, soybean, or yeast.

How do psychrotrophs differ from psychrophiles?

Psychrotrophs grow slowly in the cold but have an optimal growth temperature of 15°C to 30°C.

What chemical components are part of the dry weight of microbial cells?

Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and inorganic ions.

What are obligate halophiles?

Organisms that require high salt concentrations to thrive.

What is facilitated diffusion?

A passive transport mechanism where molecules bind to a specific receptor and are carried across a membrane.

What factors affect microbial growth?

Temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, and nutrient availability.