Question

Can beta-oxidaton occue in an organism that cannont perform cellular respiration? Why or Why not?

All food chains begin with organisms that are photoautotrophs. What are the name of the two sets of reactions that characterize this form of metabolism? What product(s) are made in each of the two phases?

Briefly explain why fermenting bacteria typically grow more slowly than bacteria respiring aerobically? Note: There are two reasons for the phenomenon

Answer 1

No, If organism cannont perform cellular respiration, beta oxidation can not happen. Fatty acid oxidation is the mito aerobic process (which happens inside mitochondria) of breaking down a fatty acid into acetyl-CoA units. Fatty acids move in this pathway as CoA derivatives utilizing NAD and FAD There are two reasons for that-

A, Need for free NAD and FAD ( To get reduced in the cycle again)

B . End product of beta oxydation is acetyl CoA which is further metabolized by Krebs cycle.

All food chains start with two set of organisms- Chemoautotroph and Photoautotroph as heterotrophs can not initiate food chain.

Chemoautotroph- They derive energy from chemical reactions (Chemosynthesis), synthesize all necessary organic compounds from carbon dioxide. Chemoautotrophs use inorganic energy sources such as hydrogen sulfide, elemental sulfur, ferrous iron,

Photoautotroph- They derive energy from light (Photosynthesis). They also synthesize carbohydrate and other molecules by using CO2

Both reactions make the same product Glucose (Carbohydrate) because CO2 is being reduced hither by using H2O or H2S (Depending upon this we categorise the synthesis as oxygenic photosynthesis vs anoxygenic photosynthesis.(6CO2 +12H2O (H2S)= C6H12O6.

Fermenting bacteria relies on Only Glycolysis for energy generation (2 ATP) leading to accumulation of Alcohol or lactic acid So,per cycle during Glucose breakdown , less energy = Slow growth

Other bacteria relies on Oxygenic respiration (End product of Glycolysis i.e. Pyruvate is further metabolized by Krebs cycle and Oxydative phosphorylation gives rise to 38 ATP per cycle during Glucose breakdown hence More energy= Fast growth