Microbes and Energy Flashcards

1
Q

What is the “unseen majority”?

A

Most organisms cannot be or have not been isolated in pure culture
Identification now done using genetic fingerprints
The uncultured microbial world is far greater than the cultured world

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2
Q

How is a population formed?

A

Populations are formed when individual microbial cells of a species proliferate to form a population

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3
Q

How is a community formed?

A

Populations interact/communicate to form a community

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4
Q

What is microbial ecology ?

A

The study of the interrelationships among microorganisms and their environment

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5
Q

How is reduction - oxidation used in bacteria?

A

For every action (e.g. oxidation) there is an equal and opposite reaction (e.g. reduction)
A redox reaction shuttled through NADH/NADPH

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6
Q

What is a chemoautotroph?

A

Energy source : chemical compounds
Carbon source : carbon dioxide
Example : Hydrogen, sulfur and nitrifying bacteria

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7
Q

What is a chemoheterotroph?

A

Energy source : Chemical compound
Carbon source : Organic compound
Example : Aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, fermentation

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8
Q

What is a photoautotroph?

A

Energy source : Light
Carbon source : Carbon dioxide
Example : Plants, algae, cynobacteria, green sulfur bacteria and purple sulfur bacteria

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9
Q

What is a photoheterotroph?

A

Energy source : Light
Carbon source : Organic compound
Example : green nonsulfur bacteria and purple nonsulfur bacteria

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10
Q

What are autotrophs?

A

Primary producers
Fix CO2
Self sufficient, do not require carbon

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11
Q

What are heterotrophs?

A

Decomposes
Need fixed carbon, cannot use CO2 directly
Dependent on primary producers

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12
Q

What are chemotrophs?

A

Use chemical energy from either C compounds (organic) or non-c compound (inorganic)
Organic = glucose
Inorganic = H2S

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13
Q

What are phototrophs?

A

Use solar energy
Energy from sunlight

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14
Q

How can so many different microbes share the same metabolisms?

A

Light is a common resource
Avoid competition by tuning their antenna to different wavelength

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15
Q

Why do we care about redox and metabolism?

A

Exploitation of different redox potential drives organisation of global microbial communities
Different redox gradients select for different microbes

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16
Q

What are cable bacteria?

A

Oxygen dependent organisms living in anoxic environments
Create cables to shuttle electrons from anoxic into oxic zone, allows them to breathe oxygen while living in anoxic conditions