What would you call bacteria that prefer to grow without oxygen but can tolerate its presence?

What would you call bacteria that prefer to grow without oxygen but can tolerate its presence?

• A. Obligate aerobes
• B. Facultative anaerobes
• C. Microaerophiles
• D. Obligate anaerobes

Answer: (B)

Bacteria that prefer to grow without oxygen but can tolerate its presence are referred to as facultative anaerobes. These organisms have the ability to switch between aerobic respiration when oxygen is available and fermentation or anaerobic respiration when it is not. This adaptability allows them to thrive in various environments, making them quite versatile. For instance, during aerobic conditions, they will utilize oxygen to generate energy more efficiently through aerobic respiration, which produces more ATP compared to anaerobic processes. However, in anaerobic environments, these bacteria can continue to grow and reproduce by employing fermentation or other anaerobic metabolic pathways, which do not require oxygen. The other options describe different relationships with oxygen: obligate aerobes require oxygen for survival, microaerophiles need oxygen but at lower levels than are present in the atmosphere, and obligate anaerobes cannot tolerate oxygen at all. Understanding the distinctions between these groups is key in microbiology, especially in studies involving bacterial growth conditions and applications in various fields.

Bacteria that prefer to grow without oxygen but can tolerate its presence are referred to as facultative anaerobes. These organisms have the ability to switch between aerobic respiration when oxygen is available and fermentation or anaerobic respiration when it is not. This adaptability allows them to thrive in various environments, making them quite versatile.

For instance, during aerobic conditions, they will utilize oxygen to generate energy more efficiently through aerobic respiration, which produces more ATP compared to anaerobic processes. However, in anaerobic environments, these bacteria can continue to grow and reproduce by employing fermentation or other anaerobic metabolic pathways, which do not require oxygen.

The other options describe different relationships with oxygen: obligate aerobes require oxygen for survival, microaerophiles need oxygen but at lower levels than are present in the atmosphere, and obligate anaerobes cannot tolerate oxygen at all. Understanding the distinctions between these groups is key in microbiology, especially in studies involving bacterial growth conditions and applications in various fields.