Lab 2B: Microbial Diversity

Environmental NYA
 All living organisms need organic molecules:

1. To use as building blocks for cellular structures.

2. To use as a source of fuel to generate ATP

(Adenosine Triphosphate). A molecule used to
perform work.

Some living organisms can make their own organic

molecules through photosynthesis or alternate biosynthesis
pathways requiring light energy while others must acquire
organic molecules from their surroundings.

All organisms then convert organic molecules into ATP

through various pathways (fermentation, aerobic cellular
respiration or anaerobic cellular respiration)
Oxygen Requirement
Organisms can fall into 3 categories depending on
their relationship with oxygen:

1. Obligate aerobe
• Requires oxygen in order to make ATP by
aerobic cellular respiration.

2. Obligate anaerobe
• Die in the presence of oxygen.
• Make ATP by fermentation or anaerobic
cellular respiration.

3. Facultative anaerobe
• Use oxygen to perform aerobic cellular
respiration when present to make ATP.
• Can switch to anaerobic cellular respiration or
fermentation when oxygen is absent.
 Nutritional Modes
 A living organisms nutritional mode is defined by its:

1. Source of Energy
 Light (PHOTO)
or
 Chemical Source (CHEMO)

2. Source of Carbon
 Non-organic molecules (AUTOTROPH)
or
 Organic molecules (HETEROTROPH)
 PhotoAutotrophs

• Energy source is sunlight

Convert light energy into

chemical energy (glucose)
through photosynthesis.

• Carbon source: CO2

• Includes Plants, Algae

(protists), Cyanobacteria,
purple and green sulfur
bacteria.
 Photoautrophs
Photosynthesis uses light energy to drive a redox (oxidation-Reduction)
reaction which results in the production of sugar.

Oxygenic Photosynthesis using water (Plants, algae and

cyanobacteria):

light + 6 CO2 + 6 H20 = C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6 O2

Note: Produces Oxygen

Anoxygenic Photosynthesis using hydrogen sulfide (anerobic green

and purple sulfur bacteria):

light+ 6 CO2 + 6 H2S = C6H12O6 (sugar) + 6S

Note: Does not produce Oxygen, it produces sulfur instead

 Photoheterotrophs

• Energy source is sunlight

• Carbon source: Organic acids

Organic acids are converted

into simple carbohydrates with
the help of light energy and
then used to make ATP.

• Includes Non-sulfur purple

and green bacteria
Chemoautotrophs

• Energy source: inorganic compounds

(e.g. hydrogen sulfide, ammonium)

• Carbon source: CO2

Chemoheterophs

• Energy source is Organic molecules

• Carbon source: Organic molecules

• Includes: All animals, fungi, protozoa, and many bacteria (e.g.

Clostridium and Desulfovibrio)
Processes living organisms use to create
ATP:

1. Fermentation
2. Aerobic cellular respiration
3. Anaerobic cellular respiration

Some organisms only use one, others

can use a combination of them
Fermentation

A process in which organic compounds are broken down

incompletely to produce a few ATP under anaerobic
conditions.

Types:

Alcohol Fermentation
• Produces ethanol and organic acids
• Performed by many bacteria under anaerobic conditions

Lactic Acid Fermentation

• Produces lactate
• Performed by certain fungi, some bacteria and animals under
anaerobic conditions.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Cellular
Respiration

Aerobic Cellular Respiration:

Uses oxygen in the breakdown of glucose to produce a large
quantity of ATP (up to 32 molecules per glucose).

Anaerobic Cellular Respiration:

Uses molecules such as nitrate or sulfate instead of oxygen to
breakdown glucose to produce a large quantity of ATP.
Winogradsky Columns

Nutrients Provided:

1. Cellulose; organic molecule source (filter paper added)

2. Carbon dioxide source (calcium carbonate)
3. Sulfate source (calcium sulfate)

What we observed was a succession of different bacteria types

based on changes that occurred in the column over the past 6
weeks.
 Step 1: An oxygen gradient was established.
Anaerobic conditions occurred at the bottom
of the column.

Clostridium bacteria broke down the cellulose

by fermentation releasing CO2, organic acids
and ethanol into the column.

Desulfovibrio bacteria then began using the

organic acids and ethanol for anaerobic
respiration with sulfur releasing hydrogen sulfide
into the column.

Step 2: Black band at bottom.

A hydrogen sulfide gradient is

established in the column where it
is more abundant at the bottom
due to desulfovibrio bacteria.
 Step 3: Green an/or purple bands.

Green sulfur and purple sulfur bacteria

then can colonize.

Using hydrogen sulfide, CO2 and light to

perform anoxygenic photosynthesis to
produce organic molecules (OM).

Green are below the purple as they can

tolerate higher concentrations of
hydrogen sulfide.

Step 4: Rust coloured band.

Rhodomicrobium colonize above where

hydrogen sulfide levels are lower. They use
the organic acids and ethanol produced by
the clostridium bacteria at the bottom and
light energy. Oxygen is used to perform
aerobic cellular respiration.
Step 5: Green at top of column.

Formed by photautotrophic
cyanobacteria and algae.