Anaerobic Respiration
Anaerobic respiration is a metabolic pathway in which an inorganic molecule other than
oxygen (such as sulfate, nitrate, or carbon dioxide) serves as the final electron
acceptor during the chemiosmotic production of ATP.
● Bacteria carry out anaerobic respiration by using an alternative electron acceptor,
such as nitrate, when oxygen is not available.
Methanogens, found in environments like ruminants' guts and swamps, utilize an
electron transport chain to produce ATP by using carbon dioxide as the final electron
acceptor. They use hydrogen produced by other organisms as an energy source and
are a significant source of methane in the environment.
Fermentation:
Fermentation is a process in which organisms generate energy from glucose through
glycolysis alone, without the involvement of an electron transport chain or oxygen.
● Some yeast and bacteria carry out fermentation in low oxygen or anoxic
environments.
● In fermentation, NADH is oxidized by reducing an organic molecule, allowing
glycolysis to continue and regenerate NAD+.
Lactate fermentation is carried out by certain single-celled organisms and animal
muscle cells. Pyruvate reacts with NADH, converting it back to NAD+ while producing
lactate as a byproduct. Lactate is often secreted into the surrounding medium, causing it
to become acidic.
Anaerobic respiration is a metabolic pathway in which an inorganic molecule other than
oxygen (such as sulfate, nitrate, or carbon dioxide) serves as the final electron
acceptor during the chemiosmotic production of ATP.
● Bacteria carry out anaerobic respiration by using an alternative electron acceptor,
such as nitrate, when oxygen is not available.
Methanogens, found in environments like ruminants' guts and swamps, utilize an
electron transport chain to produce ATP by using carbon dioxide as the final electron
acceptor. They use hydrogen produced by other organisms as an energy source and
are a significant source of methane in the environment.
Fermentation:
Fermentation is a process in which organisms generate energy from glucose through
glycolysis alone, without the involvement of an electron transport chain or oxygen.
● Some yeast and bacteria carry out fermentation in low oxygen or anoxic
environments.
● In fermentation, NADH is oxidized by reducing an organic molecule, allowing
glycolysis to continue and regenerate NAD+.
Lactate fermentation is carried out by certain single-celled organisms and animal
muscle cells. Pyruvate reacts with NADH, converting it back to NAD+ while producing
lactate as a byproduct. Lactate is often secreted into the surrounding medium, causing it
to become acidic.
