Wk2: Microbial Metabolism 2

Question 1

What is phototrophy?

Answer 1

Energy from the sun’s light photons is captured by light trapping molecules and converted into chemical energy (ATP) via redox reactions

Question 2

What is the main feature of oxygenic photosynthesis?

Answer 2

They use water as an electron donor, resulting in the release of oxygen.
Includes modern plants, algae and some bacteria eg cyanobacteria

Question 3

What is the function of photoautotrophy?

Answer 3

Organisms that make their own energy via light and carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.
- Helps reduce carbon

Question 4

What is anoxygenic photosynthesis?

Answer 4

Hydrogen sulphide or sulfur as the electron donor, which results in more oxidised sulfur compounds

• For eg purple and green sulfur bacteria (phototrophic sulfur bacteria)
• Well adapted to low light levels

Question 5

What are photoheterotrophs?

Answer 5

Organisms that use light to make energy but does not use CO2 as their sole carbon source
- For eg purple sulfur bacteria, rhodopsin

Question 6

What are some characteristics of cyanobacteria?

Answer 6

• First organism to have 2 photosystems
• Contains pigments chl, a, d and f
• contains phycocyanin (blue, green colour)

Question 7

What are some biotech applications of cyanobacteria?

Answer 7

Nutrient supplement
- spirulina

Ethanol or hydrogen production
- Atmospheric CO@ + sunlight into ethanol or hydrogen

Bioactive compounds

• Toxins
• Antibiotics

Question 8

What is the winogradsky column?

Answer 8

Indicates how the metabolic processes within microorganisms will drive microbial successions and ecosystem function - self contained ecosystem

Question 9

What is one ecosystem that acts as a winogradsky column?

Answer 9

Stromatolites - microbial communities that develop at the interfaces of water and solid surfaces

Question 10

What does the winodrasky column?

Answer 10

It shows how the naturally occurring microbes establish geochemical gradients based on their metabolic activity