Concept explainers
What would happen if a microorganism that depended on the glyoxylate cycle no longer produced the enzyme isocitrate lyase? Could this defect be corrected by nutrients in the media? If so, which nutrients?
The glyoxylate cycle is a pathway in which the acetyl-CoA is converted to succinate, for the synthesis of carbohydrates. This cycle is similar to the tricarboxylic (TCA) cycle, but certain steps in the TCA cycle are bypassed. Initial and final steps are similar for both cycles. The final result of the glyoxylate cycle is glucose production from fatty acids.
Explanation of Solution
Isocitrate lyase is an enzyme involved in the glyoxylate cycle. Isocitrate lyase (ICL) enzyme cleaves the isocitrate into glyoxylate and succinate. The micro-organisms that undergo glyoxylate cycle use isocitrate lyase and malate synthase in order to synthesize glucose, and also its metabolic intermediates. When the ICL gene was deleted, then the microorganism cannot survive under conditions where the glyoxylate cycle was important, as they cannot synthesize glucose. This is called gene knockout, where the genes of organisms are made inoperative.
This can be corrected by providing succinate and glyoxylate in the media and this is known as nutritional complementation of the knockout, where the absence of this gene is compensated by providing the products produced by the gene in the media. The presence of succinate and glyoxylate in the media can bypass the requirement of this enzyme (ICL). In this case, glucose can also be provided in the media. So, the micro-organisms that cannot undergo the glyoxylate cycle and synthesize glucose, can utilize the glucose available in the media.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 12 Solutions
Prescott's Microbiology
- The activity of the enzyme beta-galactosidase can be measured by X-gal in the growth media. Explain why X-gal turns blue when metabolized by beta-galactosidase.arrow_forwardWhy do boiled and unboiled potato extracts differ in their action on hydrogen peroxide? Explain in 1-3 sentencesarrow_forwardWhy does the fermentation process produce solutions of only 10 - 15% ethanol?arrow_forward
- explain why there is little to no growth of these organisms in the minimal salt media with glucose compared to the complex media. (HINT: these organisms are chemoheterotrophs and need an organic source of broth carbon and energy)...arrow_forwardBesides the final product, what other important difference is there between the fermentation pathways of E. coli? Or, in other words, for what purpose does the cell activate the fermentative pathways when there is lack of oxygen?arrow_forwardPlease answer the following correctly: m) Tannins are produced by many woody plants and have antimicrobial properties that can interfere with fermentation in the production of biofuels. Are tannin extracts effective in inhibiting yeast fermentation?arrow_forward
- Write the complete redox reactions for the following microbial metabolisms. Give an example of a type of environment where such bacteria may thrive (will there be plentiful O2? Organics-rich sediment? mineral-bearing rock formations etc?) Oxidation of glucose (C6H12O6) by sulfate (H2SO4) reducers (redox products are CO2 and H2S). Oxidation of ferrous hydroxide (Fe(OH)2) by iron-oxidizing bacteria in oxygen (O2)-rich environment. Redox products are Fe(OH)3 and H2 Please write all redox reactions correctly and explain! Thanks!arrow_forwardSwitchgrass is used for ethanol production. The composition of the switchgrass is 37% cellulose, 24% xylan, 3% galactan, 4% arabinan, 20% lignin, 7% extractives, and 5% ash. A dilute acid pretreatment method is applied to the switchgrass before enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. The pretreatment hydrolyzes 10% hexosan and 90% pentosan into monomeric sugars. Approximately 30% of the hydrolyzed pentoses further react & are decomposed to furfural. Assume that there is no decomposition of the hydrolyzed hexoses. Further Assume that lignin, extractives, and ash do not change during the pretreatment. • How much of each lignocellulosic sugar (glucose, xylose, galactose, and arabinose) is produced when pretreating 1,000 kg (dry matter) switchgrass? How much furfural is formed? • Is water consumed or produced in these pretreatment hydrolysis and dehydration reactions? How much in each?arrow_forwardWhy is it desirable for a microbe with the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and the TCA cycle also to have the pentose phosphate pathway?arrow_forward
- If two cultures of a facultative anaerobe were grown under identical conditions except that one was exposed to oxygen and the other was completely deprived of oxygen, what differences would you expect to see between the two cultures? (What metabolic pathway would be occurring in each? Why?)arrow_forwardExplain why phenol red is used in McConkey agar to detect the acid reaction of lactose fermentation.arrow_forwardThe daily production of a growth-associated byproduct (P) is 250 kg/day. The continuous bioreactor without recycle is fed with a substrate solution (S) with a concentration of 60 g/L at a flow rate of 500 L/h. In steady state condition, calculate: a) the product concentration (Cp).b) the conversion of the limiting substrate.c) the cell concentration (Cx).d) the volume of the bioreactor.Data μmax = 0.20 h-1, KS = 0.70 g.L-1, YX/S =0.50 gX/gS, YP/S = 0.35 gP/gS(answers: Considering P0 = 0 and X0 = 0: a) P = 20.83 g/L; b) 99.2% conversion; c) X = 29.76 g/L; d) V = 6071 L)arrow_forward
- Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)BiologyISBN:9780134580999Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. HoehnPublisher:PEARSONBiology 2eBiologyISBN:9781947172517Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann ClarkPublisher:OpenStaxAnatomy & PhysiologyBiologyISBN:9781259398629Author:McKinley, Michael P., O'loughlin, Valerie Dean, Bidle, Theresa StouterPublisher:Mcgraw Hill Education,
- Molecular Biology of the Cell (Sixth Edition)BiologyISBN:9780815344322Author:Bruce Alberts, Alexander D. Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter WalterPublisher:W. W. Norton & CompanyLaboratory Manual For Human Anatomy & PhysiologyBiologyISBN:9781260159363Author:Martin, Terry R., Prentice-craver, CynthiaPublisher:McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.Inquiry Into Life (16th Edition)BiologyISBN:9781260231700Author:Sylvia S. Mader, Michael WindelspechtPublisher:McGraw Hill Education