MICROBIAL METABOLISM

Metabolism = Change.
All chemical reactions and physical workings of the cell. This include anabolism.
Catabolism.
Why do we/ microorganisms need metabolism?
Microorganismobtains the energy and nutrients (e.g.carbon) it needs to live and
reproduce.
Use many different types ofmetabolicstrategies.
Species can often be differentiated from each other based on metabolic
characteristics.
The specific metabolic properties of a microbe are the major factors in
determining that microbes ecological niche, and often allow for that microbe to
be useful inindustrial processes.
SIMPLIFIED MODEL OF METABOLISM

Smaller molecules
Smaller molecules
ENZYME: CATALYZING THE CHEMICAL REACTION
IN LIFE
Enzymes:
- Are catalyst increase the rate of chemical reactions without becoming part of
the products/ being consumed in the reaction
- Eliminated the need for heat to get the reaction
- Much larger that substrate
- Have unique active site
LOCK AND KEY MODEL
REGULATION OF ENZYME FUNCTION

Activity of enzymes influenced by the cells environment

- Natural pH, temperature, osmotic pressure
- Changes in the normal conditions can cause enzymes to be unstable or labile
Denaturation
- What is denaturation
- Due to?
- What actually happened?
METABOLIC PATHWAYS
Process of metabolic reactions
Usually occur in a multistep series or pathway each step catalyzed by an
enzyme
Product of one reaction is often the reactant (substrate) for the next - forming a
linear chain/ reaction
Many pathways have branches that provide alternate methods for nutrient
processing
Other have a cyclic form the starting molecule is generated to initiate another
turn of the cycle
Do not stand alone interconnected and merge at many sites with other
pathways
ATP: METABOLIC MONEY
1. Name 3 basic catabolic pathways, and give an estimate of how much ATP each of
them yields.
2. Write a summary statement describing glycolysis.
3. Describe Kreb cycle.
4. Discuss the significance of the electron transport system.
5. Point put how anaerobic respiration differs from aerobic respiration.
6. Provide a summary of fermentation
7. Describe how non-carbohydrate compounds are catabolized.
GETTING MATERIALS AND ENERGY

Nutrient processing in bacteria is extremely varied most cases

the nutrient is glucose
Anaerobic respiration (Decay)
- As series of reactions that converts glucose to CO2 and allows the
cell to recover significant amounts of energy
- Utilizes glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport chain
- Relies on free oxygen as the final electron and hydrogen acceptor
- Characteristics of many bacteria, fungi, protozoa and animals.
 Anaerobic respiration
- Used by strictly anaerobic organisms and those whore are able to
metabolize with or without oxygen
- Involves glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport
chain
- Uses NO3-, SO42-, CO33-, and other oxidized non-oxygen
compounds as final electron acceptors.
 Fermentation
- Incomplete oxidation of glucose
- Oxygen is not required
- Organic compounds are final electron acceptors
THE RESPIRATORY CHAIN (ELECTRON
TRANSPORT CHAIN)
A chain of special redox carriers that received reduced carriers (NADH, FADH2)
generated by glycolysis and the Krebs cycle.
- passes them in a high sequential and orderly fashion from one to the next
- Highly energetic
- Allows the transport of hydrogen ions outside of the membrane
- In the final step of the process, oxygen accepts electrons and hydrogen, forming
water
RESPIRATION & FERMENTATION DURING
GROWTH
Metabolism of food carbohydrates
Depends on the types of carbohydrates (Polysaccharides, disaccharides,
monosaccharides)
Fermentation
Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas Pathway (EMP) Pathway
Warburg-Dickens-Horecker (HMP) pathway
Entner-Duodoroff (ED) pathway
Pentose Phosphoketolase pathway (Enterobacter aerogenes, bacillus spp. Some
LAB)
Hexose Phosphoketolase Pathway/ Bifidus pathway (Bifidobacterium spp)
Certain specific pathways Mixed acid pathways, propionic acid fermentation etc.
Anaerobic respiration Sulfate-reducing Desulfatomaculum nigrificans
metabolizes glucose a energy source through EMP pathway.
Aerobic respiration carbohydrates to pyruvate
Synthesis of polymers
Metabolism of Food Protein
Proteinaceous compounds present in foods include different types of simple protein
(albimin, collagen), conjugated protein (myoglobin, hemoglobin), and peptides.
In general microorganisms can transport amino acids and small peptides in the cells.
- Many aerobic/ facultative bacteria can oxidize amino acids and use them as their sole
source of carbon, nitrogen and energy.
- Aerobic respiration (decay) - L-amino acids undergo either oxidative deamination or
transamination to produce respective keto acids (utilized through different pathways)
Eg: L-threonine to acetaldehyde and glycine, L-Lysine to glutaric acid
- Fermentation (putrefaction)
- The degradation (catabolism) of proteinaceous compounds of food , the anabolism of
several protein important because of the ability to produce protein that are toxins.
Metabolism of food lipids
The main food lipids in food are the mono-, di- and triglycerides; free saturated
and unsaturated fatty acids; phospholipids; sterols and waxes.
M/o have low preference for metabolizing lipids. Why?
In emulsion, they can be metabolized by m/o at the oil-water interphase.
Glycerides are hydrolized by extracellular lipases to release glycerol and fatty
acids.
Alcaligenes, Staphylococcus,