Lecture

Microbial Metabolism: Energy Production and Biomass Synthesis

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Description

This lecture covers the two main aspects of microbial metabolism: catabolism, which involves the breakdown of large organic compounds to produce energy, and anabolism, which uses this energy to synthesize biomass. The relationship between catabolism and anabolism is explored, highlighting the dependence of biomass growth on intermediates from central metabolic pathways. Additionally, the lecture delves into the redox reactions that underlie energy generation in cells, emphasizing the role of specific biomolecules in electron transfer and energy storage. Various electron carriers and energy conservation mechanisms in aerobic and anaerobic respiration are discussed, shedding light on the diverse strategies microorganisms employ to thrive in different environments.

This video is available exclusively on Mediaspace for a restricted audience. Please log in to MediaSpace to access it if you have the necessary permissions.

Watch on Mediaspace

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Biology

Cell biology: Cell metabolism

Related concepts (32)

Cellular respiration

Cellular respiration is the process by which biological fuels are oxidised in the presence of an inorganic electron acceptor, such as oxygen, to drive the bulk production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which contains energy. Cellular respiration may be described as a set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert chemical energy from nutrients into ATP, and then release waste products.

Anaerobic respiration

Anaerobic respiration is respiration using electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen (O2). Although oxygen is not the final electron acceptor, the process still uses a respiratory electron transport chain. In aerobic organisms undergoing respiration, electrons are shuttled to an electron transport chain, and the final electron acceptor is oxygen. Molecular oxygen is an excellent electron acceptor. Anaerobes instead use less-oxidizing substances such as nitrate (NO3-), fumarate (C4H2O42-), sulfate (SO42-), or elemental sulfur (S).

Anabolism

Anabolism (əˈnæbəlɪzəm) is the set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units. These reactions require energy, known also as an endergonic process. Anabolism is the building-up aspect of metabolism, whereas catabolism is the breaking-down aspect. Anabolism is usually synonymous with biosynthesis. Polymerization, an anabolic pathway used to build macromolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides, uses condensation reactions to join monomers.

Catabolism

Catabolism (kəˈtæbəlɪzəm) is the set of metabolic pathways that breaks down molecules into smaller units that are either oxidized to release energy or used in other anabolic reactions. Catabolism breaks down large molecules (such as polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins) into smaller units (such as monosaccharides, fatty acids, nucleotides, and amino acids, respectively). Catabolism is the breaking-down aspect of metabolism, whereas anabolism is the building-up aspect.

Metabolic pathway

In biochemistry, a metabolic pathway is a linked series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell. The reactants, products, and intermediates of an enzymatic reaction are known as metabolites, which are modified by a sequence of chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes. In most cases of a metabolic pathway, the product of one enzyme acts as the substrate for the next. However, side products are considered waste and removed from the cell. These enzymes often require dietary minerals, vitamins, and other cofactors to function.

Related lectures (64)

Metabolism: Energy and Redox Reactions

Explores metabolism, emphasizing energy production, redox reactions, ATP, and enzyme roles.

Microbial metabolism: Energy Generation and Biomass Production

Explores microbial metabolism, focusing on energy generation, biomass production, redox reactions, and electron carriers.

Metabolic Pathways: Energy Coupling Reactions

Explores energy coupling reactions in metabolic pathways, ATP synthesis from food breakdown, and the role of coenzymes and oxidative phosphorylation.

Metabolism: Energy and Cellular Compounds

Explores catabolism, anabolism, energy balance, ATP production, and cellular respiration processes.

Targeting Glycolysis and Cancer Signaling