BIOL 271 Microbiology Module 2 2026/2027 | 100+ Questions & Answers – Metabolism, Enzymes, Glycolysis, ATP & Cellular Respiration | Portage Learning

This comprehensive BIOL 271 Microbiology Module 2 2026/2027 study guide contains 100+ questions and correct answers across 25 pages, providing in-depth preparation for the metabolic and biochemical concepts emphasized in Module 2. The material covers metabolism, enzymes and cofactors, anabolism and catabolism, enzyme classes, oxidation-reduction reactions, ATP and NADH, microbial nutritional classifications, phosphorylation, glycolysis, fermentation, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, the TCA/Krebs cycle, electron transport, chemiosmosis, protein and lipid catabolism, β-oxidation and photosynthesis. The opening chapters establish the foundations of enzyme activity and cellular metabolism. Students review enzymes as biological catalysts that lower activation energy without being consumed, the importance of cofactors, enzyme-substrate complexes, active-site specificity and factors affecting reaction rates such as enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, temperature and pH. The guide distinguishes catabolic pathways that release energy from larger molecules from anabolic pathways responsible for biosynthesis, growth and repair. It also covers six important enzyme classes: hydrolases, isomerases, ligases, lyases, oxidoreductases and transferases. Pages 7–12 concentrate on bioenergetics, oxidation-reduction reactions and ATP generation. Students apply the OIL RIG principle—oxidation involves electron loss while reduction involves electron gain—and examine the relationship between NAD⁺ and NADH. ATP is presented as a major activated energy carrier, while organisms are classified according to their energy, electron and carbon sources as phototrophs, chemotrophs, organotrophs, lithotrophs, heterotrophs and autotrophs. The material then differentiates photophosphorylation, substrate-level phosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation. A particularly extensive section addresses glucose catabolism and cellular respiration. Glycolysis is reviewed in terms of location, reactants, products, ATP investment and net energy production. Students then compare fermentation, aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration, including their oxygen requirements, terminal electron acceptors, use of the electron transport chain and relative ATP yields. The TCA/Krebs cycle section covers conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and production of ATP, NADH and FADH₂, while the electron transport section examines proton gradients, ATP synthase, chemiosmosis, proton motive force and terminal electron acceptors. The guide extends metabolism beyond glucose by examining how microorganisms utilize polysaccharides, proteins, amino acids and lipids. Students review extracellular degradation of large polysaccharides, protease-mediated protein catabolism, deamination and entry of carbon skeletons into central metabolic pathways. Lipid metabolism includes the action of lipases, conversion of glycerol into a glycolytic intermediate and β-oxidation of fatty acids into acetyl-CoA, along with generation of NADH and FADH₂ for electron transport. The final pages provide focused coverage of photosynthetic metabolism. Students distinguish phototrophs from organisms dependent on chemical energy sources and review chloroplasts, chlorophyll, photophosphorylation/light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle. The questions explain how light energy supports ATP and NADPH production and how these energy carriers subsequently contribute to carbon fixation and synthesis of G3P, an important precursor for carbohydrate production. The document concludes by connecting enzyme specificity back to active-site structure. For academic cross-reference, these subjects closely correspond to the microbial metabolism chapters in Microbiology 2e, including enzymes, oxidation-reduction reactions, ATP, glycolysis, fermentation, cellular respiration, electron transport, chemiosmosis and photosynthesis. OpenStax Microbiology 2e Students should note that simplified ATP-yield figures can vary among textbooks and organisms, so current course materials should be followed when answering course-specific exam questions. Relevant Students: This resource is particularly relevant for Portage Learning BIOL 271 students, Microbiology Module 2 students, nursing and pre-nursing students completing microbiology prerequisites, allied-health students, pre-health students, biology students and learners preparing for microbiology metabolism examinations. It is especially valuable for students who need comprehensive practice connecting enzyme activity with energy production, microbial nutritional classifications, cellular respiration and photosynthetic pathways. APA Reference: Parker, N., Schneegurt, M., Tu, A.-H. T., Lister, P., & Forster, B. M. (2022). Microbiology 2e. OpenStax, Rice University. 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