LESSON 4 Flashcards
- refers to the vast array of metabolic capabilities and ecological roles that microorganisms encompass.
- involves comprehending how microorganism interact with their environment, including their relationships with ecosystems and tehir function within those ecosystems.
Microbial functional diversity
often thought of in terms of the number of different species
Microbial diversity
diverse range of functions that microorganisms can perform. It’s not just about species identity but rather about what these microorganisms can do.
Functional diversity
3 importance of functional diversity
- Ecosystem functioning
- Biotechnology
- Microbiome health
microorganisms play an important role various ecosystem processes including nutrient cycling, decomposition, and biodegradation of pollutants.
Ecosystem functioning
microbes with specific functional abilities have applications like antibiotics and probiotics that are derived from microbial byproducts
Biotechnology
the human body hosts a diverse array of micoorganisms, particularly in the gut microbiome.
Microbiome health
produces happy hormones
GABA compound
Examples of Functional Diversity
- Nutrient cycling
- Biodegradation
- Symbiotic relationship
3 aspects of nutrient cycling
- Nitrogen fixation
- Nitrification
- Decomposition
ensures the circulation of essential nutrients in ecosystems.
Nutrient cycling
Microbes with diverse degradative enzymes can break down a wide range of organic matter, including pollutants like oil spills or plastics. Their functional diveristy is essential for maintaining a clean environment.
Biodegradation
it allows to provide various bemefits to their hosts
Symbiotic relationships
3 benefits of Symbiotic relationship
- Nutrient acquisition
- Protection form pathogens
- Aiding in digestion
In humas, we have a_______ with probiotics associated with gut micorbiome
mutual relationship
analyzes the collective genetic material of a microbial community
Metagenomics
directly assess the functional capabilities of a microbial community; oftern reffered as metabolomics; with these, researchers can identify metabolites produced by microorganisms
Functional metagenomics
provide a snapshot of the metabolic activity of a microbial community, offering insights into their functional potential
Community fingerprinting techniques
these microbes can breakdown the organic matter from plant or animal, secrete the enzyme and they compose complex molecules like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids into a simpler form that they can absorb and utilize for growth.
decomposers and detritivores
main function is symbiotic relationship where both participating microorganisms benefits from each other.
mutualism
one organism can benefit from the interaction while the other organism which is the host, neither harms nor benefits; also called nonsocomial organisms
commensalism
one organism is benefited by obtaining nutrients from the other ogrniams, often harming a host in the process
parasitism
These microbes actively hunt and consume other microorganisms
Predation
a visible mutualistic association between a ungus and an alga or cyanobacterium; found in environments like bare rocks and roofs
lichens
partners and benefits of lichens
- fungus- cannot photosynthesize, so benefits from organic matter produced by the alga/cyanobacterium
- Phototrophs- produces organic food for the fungus through photosynthesis
some lichens may have a third partner. what is this?
basidiomycete yeast
is a critical element for a vast and fascinating array of microbes, fueling a multituse of metabolic processes.
SUlfur
if an area’s smell is similar to that of ortten eggs, that means the area is_____
high in sulfur
4 groups associated with the sulfur cycle
- Dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria
- Dissimilatory sulfur-reducing bacteria
- Disimilatory sulfur-oxidizing bactera
- Assimilatory- sulfate reducing bacteria
what are the key genera of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria?
Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter
these are obligate anaerobes fluorish in oxygen-depleted environemnts that can utilize sulfate (S042-) as an electron acceptor for respiration; partnered with hydrogen and organic compounds
Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacter
their activity is criticcal in the global sulfur cycle but can also be responsible for spoilage of canned foods due to the production of hydrigen sulfide gas (rotten egg smell)
Dissimilatory Sulfate-reducing bacteria (Desulfovibrio, desulfobacter)
microbes that die in the presence of oxygen
obligate anaerobes
microbes that use the oxygen as their electron acceptor
obligate aerobes
short pathway for dissimilatory sulfate bacteria
- ATP sulfur release was converted to Adenosine 5 sulfate
- 2 electron donors to APS reductase into sulfide
- the presence of emulatory sulfite reductse to form sulfde, which is another form of sulphur that can be utilized by other organisms.
Key genera of Dissimilatory sulfur-reducing bacteria
Desulforomonas, wolinela, sulfolobus
these bacteria exhibit greater physiological diversity; many are facultatively anaerobic; utilize sulfur (S0) as an electron acceptor
Dissimilatory-sulfur reducing bacteria (desulforomonas, wolinella, sulfolobus)
fequently co-esxit with bacteria that oxidize H2S to S0, creatng a closed loop anoxic sulfur cycle in environments like marine sediments
Dissimilatory sulfur-reducing bacteria
microbes that can live with or without the presence of oxygen
facultative anaerobes
Key genera of Dissimilaroty sulfur-oxidizing bacteria
Thiobacillus, Achromatium, Beggiatoa
thriving in oxic environments near sources of hydrogen sulfide; leverage reduced sulfur compound like HS, SO, and thiosulfate as electron donors for energy generation.
Dissimilaroty sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus, Achromatium, Beggiatoa)
microbes that uses oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor; can be obligate or facultative chemolitotrophs
Dissimilaroty sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus, Achromatium, Beggiatoa)
microbes that can fix co2 for carbin using calvin cyle or they can be mixotrophs that uses both organix (chemoorganotrophs) and inorganic (chemolithotrophs) carbon sources.
facultative chemolitotrophs
can oxidize ferrous iron for biomining processes
acidophilic thiobacillus
notable for its large size, and internal strage of sulfur granules; utilize element/metals, store sulfur as their oxidizing or electron donor; source of metals for their adaptation in harsh environment
achromatium
is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that makes up 78.1% of the earth’s atmosphere.
Nitrogen gas
3 physiological groups of bacteria that participate in the nitrogen cycle
- Diazotrophs
- Nitrifiers
- Denitrifiers
the development of nitrogen was seen with the discovery oF_____
dynamite
it increases the production of crops by being one of the components of pesticides
nitrogen
key genera of nitrogen fixers
Mesorhizobium, Desulfovibrio, Azotobacter
these microoganism are the rockstars of ntrogen fixation.
Diazotrophs
these microbes convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia usable by cells; requires an enzyme called nitrogenase and ATP for energy.
Diazotrophs
encodes the dinitrogenase reductase component of nitrogenase used as a measure of diazotroph diversity; used for identification of an organism if it is a nitrogen fixer
nifH gene
2 diversity of Nitrogen fixers
- Symbiotic diazotrophs
- Free-living diazotrophs
these microbes form mutually beneficial partnerships with plants, animals, or fungi
SYmbiotic Diazotrophs
these microbes protects nitrogenase from oxygen,w hich inhibits its activity; some strategies include growing in anoxic environments, fixing N2 during low oxygen periods, or having complex protetcive mechanisms like cyanobacteria.
free living diazotrophs
organisms that do not undergo the process same in free living diazotrps in the presence of oxygen
microaerophilic bacteria
thrive in oxygen-depleted environments like sediments; desulfovibrio is an example
Obligate anaerobes
bacteria that can adapt to both aerobic and anaeorbic conditions. Klebsiella is an example, fixing N2 only when oxygen is scarce
Facultative aerobes
microbes that are responsible for converting ammonia to to nitrate through a two-step process
Nitrifiers
it comes first followed by nitrite oxidizers
Ammonia oxidizers
can perform both steps such as converting nitrite into nitrate.
Nitrospira spp
often have internal membrane stacks resembling those in purple photosynthetic bacteria; they are enriched in cultures using mineral slats media with ammonia or nitite as elctron donors and bicarbonate as the carbon source.
nitrifying bacteria
these bacteria remove nitrogen from the cycle by converting nitrate or nitrite to gaseous products like nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, and nitrogen gas
Denitrifiers
is a well -studied example of denitrifiers; mostly facultative aerobes, preferred to grow aerobically when oxygen is available; and in agricutural soils can lead to fertilizer loss and N2O emmision, a greenhouse gas.
Paracoccus denitrificans
