Fermentation Flashcards
Define fermentation
- anaerobic catabolism of organic compound which serves as electron donor and acceptor
Anaerobic prokaryotes re-oxidize ____ by respiration or _______.
- NADH by fermentation
What does adding mineral oil do?
- decreases O2 and inhibits growth of aerobic organisms
What happens in the absence of an external electron acceptor?
- organic compounds can be catabolized ONLY by fermentation
only certain compounds are fermentable, what is required for most fermentations?
- energy-rich organic intermediate formed that can yield ATP by substrate-level phosphorylation
- redox balance
What is a means of disposing excess electrons?
- production of H2, associated with presence of iron-sulfur protein ferredoxin
What is ferridoxin?
- very low potential electron carrier
What is the transfer of electrons from ferredoxin to H2 catalyzed by?
- hydrogenase
How do you protect from too much acidity?
- remove electron acceptors
What is a key product of many fermentative processes?
- pyruvate
What has fermentative metabolism?
- acids and ethanol
What puts holes in swiss cheese?
- propionibacterium
What are carbohydrate fermentations?
- lactic
- ethanol
- butyric
- mixed acid
- propionic
- homeoacetic
What does it mean that there is considerable diversity in fermentation?
- product of one organisms fermentation is fermented by a second organism
- some employ ion gradients as basis for energetics across membrane
What happens when inadequate energy is released?
Coupled to ATP synthesis directly by substrate-level phosphorylation