BIO2107 – Biology of Microorganisms

Week 4 Discussion Points

1. The process of Electron transport chain

The electron transport chain is a collection of membrane-embedded proteins and

organic molecules, most of them organized into four large complexes labeled I to IV. In
eukaryotes, many copies of these molecules are found in the inner mitochondrial
membrane. In prokaryotes, the electron transport chain components are found in the
plasma membrane.

As the electrons travel through the chain, they go from a higher to a lower energy level,
moving from less electron-hungry to more electron-hungry molecules. Energy is
released in these “downhill” electron transfers, and several of the protein complexes use
the released energy to pump protons from the mitochondrial matrix to the
intermembrane space, forming a proton gradient. [Click to see a free energy diagram]
 Overall, what does the electron transport chain do for the cell? It has two important
functions:

 Regenerates electron carriers. NADH and FADH_22start subscript, 2, end

subscript pass their electrons to the electron transport chain, turning back into NAD^+
+start superscript, plus, end superscript and FAD. This is important because the
oxidized forms of these electron carriers are used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle
and must be available to keep these processes running.

 Makes a proton gradient. The transport chain builds a proton gradient across the inner
mitochondrial membrane, with a higher concentration of H^++start superscript, plus,
end superscript in the intermembrane space and a lower concentration in the matrix.
This gradient represents a stored form of energy, and, as we’ll see, it can be used to
make ATP.
2. Describe the process of anaerobic respiration. Does anaerobic respiration yield as
much ATP as aerobic respiration? Why or why not?

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration: A Comparison

Aerobic respiration, which takes place in the presence of oxygen, evolved after oxygen
was added to Earth’s atmosphere. This type of respiration is useful today because the
atmosphere is now 21% oxygen. However, some anaerobic organisms that evolved
before the atmosphere contained oxygen have survived to the present. Therefore,
anaerobic respiration, which takes place without oxygen, must also have advantages.

Advantages of Aerobic Respiration

A major advantage of aerobic respiration is the amount of energy it releases. Without
oxygen, organisms can split glucose into just two molecules of pyruvate. This releases
only enough energy to make two ATP molecules. With oxygen, organisms can break
down glucose all the way to carbon dioxide. This releases enough energy to produce up
to 38 ATP molecules. Thus, aerobic respiration releases much more energy than
anaerobic respiration.

The amount of energy produced by aerobic respiration may explain why aerobic
organisms came to dominate life on Earth. It may also explain how organisms were
able to become multicellular and increase in size.

Advantages of Anaerobic Respiration

One advantage of anaerobic respiration is obvious. It lets organisms live in places
where there is little or no oxygen. Such places include deep water, soil, and the
digestive tracts of animals such as humans (see Figure below).

Another advantage of anaerobic respiration is its speed. It produces ATP very quickly.
For example, it lets your muscles get the energy they need for short bursts of intense
activity (seeFigure below). Aerobic respiration, on the other hand, produces ATP more
slowly.
3. What is denitrification? Why do farmers dislike this process?
What is denitrification?
In simple terms, denitrification occurs because soil microbes require oxygen. When all
the small air voids in the soil are taken up with water instead of air, they find it difficult
to get oxygen.

In these situations, they move their focus to breaking down nitrate, which is made up of
one part nitrogen and three parts oxygen.

Di-nitrogen and nitrous oxide is released to the atmosphere as the microbes consume
the oxygen from nitrate. Denitrification events can occur whenever the conditions are
right and this is often multiple times in one season.

They can happen due to prolonged wet weather after fertiliser application, a single
major rain event, or even unexpected rainfall after irrigation. Denitrification losses can
occur even with small rainfall events if the soil is already moist.

What is at risk?
The size of denitrification losses will vary from season to season, but it is generally
thought to be a major nitrogen loss pathway in cane.

Take the example of the trial conducted in a plant crop near Mackay in the 2010-11
season1, where above average rainfall in the six months after fertiliser application
meant the ground was saturated for prolonged periods.

Nitrous oxide losses were measured and they showed that the ENTEC urea treatment
reduced overall nitrous oxide losses by 4.2 kg/ha compared with urea.