BIOL341 Test and Exam Questions (2019)

Part I (12 questions)

• Describe how the proton motive force (PMF) is generated and how ATP is produced
from PMF.
• Describe in detail how ATPase works for ATP production and why cells may use
their ATPase in reverse.
• Describe the diversity of pigments and membrane systems used in bacteria to utilise
light as an energy source. How do some bacteria adapt to life at low light intensity?
• Describe anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthesis highlight the differences in
electron transport systems, generation of ATP, and reducing power for fixing CO2.
• Describe the Calvin cycle and one of these two pathways for autotrophic CO2
fixation: the reverse citric acid cycle or the reductive acetyl-CoA pathway. Why is the
3-hydroxypropionate cycle also referred to as the Fuchs-Holo bi-cycle?
• Describe how the concept of chemolithotrophy emerged from the studies of sulfur
bacteria by the great Russian microbiologist Sergei Winogradsky. Discuss how
chemolithotrophic aerobic H2-oxidizing bacteria use H2 as an energy source and fix
CO2 and the environmental conditions under which this occurs.

• Compare and contrast the use of CO2 and H2 as substrates for both acetogenesis and
methanogenesis.
• Methanogens can utilise three main groups of substrates for producing methane:
carbon dioxide, methyl compounds, and acetate. Discuss the biochemistry of each of
these pathways for methanogenesis and comment on their ecological significance.
• Sugars are common substrates in microbial fermentations. Describe
homofermentative and heterofermentative lactic acid fermentation as well as one of
these four fermentation pathways: (i) Entner-Doudoroff pathway, (ii) mixed acid
fermentation by enteric bacteria, (iii) butyric acid fermentation by Clostridium
species; and (iv) clostridial fermentation of amino acids.
• Fermentations are characterised by the generation of ATP via substrate-level
phosphorylation; however, certain fermentation pathways lack substrate-level
phosphorylation. Using examples, describe how the small amount of energy released
is used to generate ATP in those pathways.
• What is syntrophy? Describe the oxidation of the fatty acid butyrate to acetate plus
H2 by the syntroph Syntrophomonas.
• Methanotrophs oxidise methane to carbon dioxide. Describe the pathway for
methane oxidation and the two alternative pathways for assimilation of carbon into

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cell material in these bacteria. The first step in the oxidation of methane by methane-
oxidising bacteria involves a unique enzyme which can be present in two different
forms, describe how the two forms of this unique enzyme differ.

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