Question

Researchers working with Rob Dunn set out to collect and identify microbes found in belly buttons. When the researchers began identifying these microbes, they found that the microbes represented a wide range of metabolic activities. For example, one microbe might be able to break down sugars found in the belly button for energy, but only in the absence of oxygen. What terms would you use to describe this microbe:________

Answer 1

Answer: They are Obligate anaerobes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Obligate anaerobes are microorganisms that survive and strive well in the absence of oxygen. Presence of oxygen is lethal to obligate anaerobes. Obligate anaerobes lack superoxide dismutase and catalase or peroxidase enzymes which make oxygen concentration to be lethal to them. Obligate anaerobes are poisoned and inhibited by oxygen. Examples include clostridium and bacteriods. These bacteria obtain energy through anaerobic respiration and fermentation process where they obtain little amount of ATP. They are much different from Obligate aerobes, as obligate aerobes require oxygen to to survive.

Answer 2

Obligate Anaerobes

Explanation:

This are organisms that can survive in condition where there is no normal concentration of atmospheric oxygen. These organisms sensitivity to oxygen however varies from one species to another. Examples are Clostodium, bacteriods . They obtain their energy through Anaerobic respiration. This fermentation process produce small amount of ATPs,because, it uses electron acceptor in the process of energy generation compare to aerobic respiration which makes use of electron transport chain. This explains the reasons why the aerobic respiration produces more energy than than anaerobic.

Organisms that respire in the presence or absence of oxygen are called falcultative arerobes. Thus they are different from obligate anaerobes both in oxygen sensitivity and tolerance, example -staphylococcus spp.

Basically their sensitivity to oxygen is due to:

1. their inability to produce required amount enzymes (catalase and superperoxide dimutase) to detoxify superoxide and hydrogen peroxide build up in their cells produced from unpaired electrons in their orbitals

2 Growth inhibition from High redox potential of dissolved oxygen also affects

3.Inhibition of metabolic enzymes in obligates from formation of disulfide from oxidation of sulfides.

All theses reactions made these organisms to be intolerant to oxygen concentration.