Use the following choices to answer the question.a. E. coli growing in glucose broth at 35℃ with O2 for 5 daysb. E. coli growing in glucose broth at 35℃ without O2 for 5 daysc. Both a and bd. Neither a nor bWhich culture produces the most ATP?

Ch. 5 - Microbial Metabolism

Tortora - Microbiology: An Introduction 14th Edition

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Ch. 5 - Microbial Metabolism

Problem 8

Chapter 5, Problem 8

Use the following choices to answer the question.
a. E. coli growing in glucose broth at 35℃ with O₂ for 5 days
b. E. coli growing in glucose broth at 35℃ without O₂ for 5 days
c. Both a and b
d. Neither a nor b

Which culture produces the most ATP?

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the metabolic pathways E. coli uses under different oxygen conditions. E. coli is a facultative anaerobe, meaning it can grow with or without oxygen, but the energy yield differs.

Step 2: Recall that aerobic respiration (with oxygen) produces more ATP per glucose molecule than anaerobic respiration (without oxygen) because oxygen serves as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, allowing complete oxidation of glucose.

Step 3: Identify that culture (a) represents aerobic conditions (with O₂), and culture (b) represents anaerobic conditions (without O₂).

Step 4: Compare ATP yields: aerobic respiration typically yields about 38 ATP per glucose molecule, while anaerobic fermentation yields much less (around 2 ATP per glucose).

Step 5: Conclude that the culture growing with oxygen (a) will produce the most ATP because aerobic respiration is more efficient in energy production than anaerobic growth.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration

Aerobic respiration uses oxygen as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, producing more ATP per glucose molecule. Anaerobic respiration or fermentation occurs without oxygen, yielding less ATP. Understanding these pathways helps explain energy yield differences in E. coli grown with or without oxygen.

Metabolic Flexibility of E. coli

E. coli is a facultative anaerobe, meaning it can grow in both the presence and absence of oxygen by switching between aerobic respiration and fermentation. This adaptability affects ATP production depending on oxygen availability in the growth environment.

ATP Yield from Glucose Metabolism

The amount of ATP generated depends on the metabolic pathway used to break down glucose. Aerobic respiration can produce up to ~38 ATP per glucose, while anaerobic processes yield only 2 ATP per glucose, influencing the total energy output in different culture conditions.

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What nutritional type is a colorless microbe that uses the Calvin-Benson cycle, uses H₂ as the electron donor to its ETC, and uses elemental S as the final electron acceptor in the ETC?

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Textbook Question

Use the following choices to answer the question.

a. E. coli growing in glucose broth at 35℃ with O₂ for 5 days

b. E. coli growing in glucose broth at 35℃ without O₂ for 5 days

c. Both a and b

d. Neither a nor b

Which culture produces the most lactic acid?

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Textbook Question