Some microbes like E. Coli have flexible metabolic systems that allow them to generate energy under aerobic and a erotic conditions. If E.coli is growing in the presence of O2, nitrate, and fumarate explain its metbalobic processes including which of these it will use first and why
Some microbes like E. Coli have flexible
E.coli can undertake both aerobic and anaerobic respiration to generate ATP (energy). ATP is generated using the proton motive force generated across the membrane due to the transfer of electrons from electron donors to acceptors. E.coli has a wide variety of substances that can act as electron donors and final electron acceptors in the Electron Transport Chain (ETC).
Formate, H2, NADH, glycerol 3-phosphate, D-amino acids, lactate, pyruvate, etc can act as electron donors i.e. E.coli can extract energy from all these substances and live off them.
O2, nitrate (NO3-), fumarate, Dimethyl sulfoxide, etc can act as final electron acceptors.
It is called aerobic respiration when O2 is the final electron acceptor of ETC. If it is any other substance that is acting as the final electron acceptor, then it is called anaerobic respiration.
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