Bacterial

Metabolism and
Biogeochemical
Cycles

Redox Reactions
All chemical reactions consist of
transferring electrons from a donor to
an acceptor.
Chemicals that donate electrons
become oxidized.
Chemicals that accept electrons
become reduced.

Oxidation / Reduction Reactions

Chapter 5

Redox Reactions
Energy is released during these
electron transfers.
In order to capture that energy,
bacteria need to intercept the
electrons during redox reactions

Electron Carriers
Chapter 5

Metabolism
The goal of metabolism is to
conserve the energy released during
redox reactions by making high
energy compounds such as ATP.
There are different strategies for
conserving this energy.

High Energy Compounds

Chapter 5

Metabolism
Fermentation
Transfer of electrons to organic
substrate

Respiration
Transfer of electrons to inorganic
acceptor

Glycolysis

Fermentation

Respiration

Electron Transport Chain

The Krebs cycle produces many more
reduced electron carriers than glycolysis.
These carriers are regenerated by passing
the electrons and protons into the electron
transport chain (ETC).
The ETC passes the electrons to a terminal
electron acceptor and pushes the protons
outside of the cell.
The amount of energy generated depends on
the terminal electron acceptor used.

Electron Transport

Proton Motive Force

The accumulation of protons on the
outside of the cell membrane
produces an electrical charge
gradient that can be used to do work.
One of the most important uses of
this proton motive force (PMF) is to
drive the synthesis of ATP.

ATP Synthase

Biogeochemical Cycles
Different nutrients undergo redox
reactions as electron donors and
acceptors during bacterial metabolism.
These reactions help to cycle the
nutrients through different chemical
forms.
Three of the most important cycles are:
Carbon
Nitrogen
Sulfur

CarbonCycle
Anaerobic

Aerobic

CarbonFixation

CO2

Respiration
And
Fermentation

H2

CarbonFixation

OrganicMatter
CH2O

CO2
Respiration

Methanogenesis
MethaneOxidation
CH4

Methanogenesis
Autotrophic
H2
CO2

H2
CHO

H2
CH2OH

H2
CoMCH3

CH4

CoEnzymeM
Acetoclastic
CoEnzymeM

CH3COOH

CoMCH3
H2O

CH3CO
CO

CH4

2H
CO2

NitrogenCycle
Assimilitory
Nitrate
Reduction

NO3
Nitrification
Denitrification

OrganicN

N2+N2O
NH3
NitrogenFixation

Ammonification

NO2

Nitrification
NH4+

Denitrification
+5

2e

NO3

+3

NO2
Nitrate
reductase

+2

1e

NO
Nitrite
reductase

1e

+1

1e

N2O
Nitrousoxide
reductase

N2

SulfurCycle
SulfateReduction
(Assimilitory)

OrganicSulfur

SO42
SulfurOxidation

SulfateReduction
(Dissimilitory)

ElementalSulfur

SulfurReduction
SulfurOxidation
Mineralization
H2S

SulfateReduction

SO42

APS
SO32

S3O6

S2O32

2ADP

2ATP

ATP

SulfurReduction
S0 + H 2

HS- + H+

ThiosulfateDisproportionation
S2O32+H2O

SO42+HS+H+

Winogradsky Column
Animation

REDOXPotentials
(electrontower)

CO2 / CO

2H+ / H2

SO3-2 /
S-2
CH3OH / CH4
NO-3 / NO-2
Fe+3 / Fe+2
1/2 O2 / H2O

MetalReduction
Fe+3

1e

Fe+2

MnO2

2e

Mn+2

2e

As+3

As

+5

SeO42
CrO42

2e

SeO32
3e

4e

Cr+3

Se0

2e

HSe