630 Microbiology for Teachers

Nutrition and Metabolism

Nutrition

The following substances are required for growth of some or all microbes:

• Macronutrients:
  • carbon (C)

     

  • hydrogen (H)

     

  • oxygen (O)

     

  • nitrogen (N)

     

• Minor macronutrients are obtained primarily from inorganic sources:
  • phosphorus (P)

     

  • sulfur (S)

     

  • potassium (K)

     

  • magnesium (Mg)

     

  • calcium (Ca)

     

  • sodium (Na)

     

  • iron (Fe)

     

• Micronutrients:
  • cobalt (Co)

     

  • zinc (Zn)

     

  • molybdenum (Mo)

     

  • copper (Cu)

     

  • manganese (Mn)

     

  • nickel (Ni)

     

  • tungsten (W) and selenium (Se)

     

• Vitamins
  •  
• Environmental factors
  • temperature
    • psychrophiles

     

    • mesophiles

     

    • thermophiles

     

  • pH

     

  • salt

     

  • oxygen
    • aerobes

     

    • microaerophiles

     

    • facultative aerobes

     

    • anaerobes

     

  • water availability

     

Metabolism

Metabolism is the sum total of all the chemical reactions (generally catalyzed by enzymes) used by living cells.

• General Considerations
  • Types of metabolism
    • catabolism

     

    • anabolism

     

  • Classification according to metabolism
    • autotroph

     

    • phototroph

     

    • lithotroph

     

    • organotroph

     

  • Redox reactions

     

    • oxidation

     

    • reduction

     

  • Assimilative vs. dissimilative metabolism
    • assimilative

     

    • dissimilative

     

• Catabolism
  • Organotrophy

     

    • fermentation

     

    • aerobic respiration

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • anaerobic respiration

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Lithotrophy

     

    • most lithotrophs are oxidizing bacteria
      • electrons

     

    • ETS

     

    • carbon

     

  • Phototrophy

     

    • light reactions

     

    • dark reactions

     

    • Calvin cycle

     

    • reverse (reductive) TCA cycle