Fermentation

&
Metabolism of Lipids and Proteins
• Anaerobic Respiration
• Functions like aerobic respiration except it utilizes oxygen
containing ions, rather than free oxygen, as the final electron
- -
acceptor. ex. Nitrate (NO3 ) and nitrite (NO ) 2
• Most obligate anaerobes use the H+ generated during glycolysis
and TCA to reduce some compound other than O2.
Fermentation
 Incomplete oxidation of glucose or other carbohydrates in the absence of
oxygen
 Uses organic compounds as terminal electron acceptors
 Yields a small amount of ATP
 Production of ethyl alcohol by yeasts acting on glucose
 Formation of acid, gas and other products by the action of various bacteria on
pyruvic acid.

2
 Characteristics
1. Releases small amount of energy when organic molecules are
metabolized.
2. The process does not require oxygen
3. The process does not require the use of the Kreb cycle or an electon
transport pathway
4. Uses an organic molecule as the final electron acceptor.
5. Produces only small amounts of ATP because much of the original energy
in glucose remains in the chemical bonds of the organic end products,
such as lactic acid or ethanol.
6. Electrons are transferred from reduced coenzyme (NADH, NADPH) to
pyruvic acid or its derivatives.
• These end products are reduced to various end products depending on
the type of microorganism.
7. ATP is generated only during glycolysis
 Process
2 steps:
1. gylcolysis--- pyruvic acid
- Net of 2 ATP by direct substrate phosphorylation

2. Reduce coenzyme from glycolysis (NADH, NADPH)

donate their electrons and hydrogen ions to pyruvic
acid or a derivative to form a fermentation end
product.
* The 2 NADH formed will be used to form the end
product
 Organism(s)- Fermentation End Products
organism End product (s)

1. streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Bacillus Lactic acid

2. Saccharomycetes (yeast) Ethanol and Carbon Dioxide

3. Propionibacterium Propionic acid, acetic acid, carbon dioxide

and water

4. Clotridium Butyric acid, butanol, acetone, isopropyl

alcohol and carbon dioxide

5. E. Coli and Salmonella Ethanol, lactic acid, succinic acid, acetic

acid, carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas

6. Enterobacter Ethanol, lactic acid, butanediol, acetoin ,

carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas
 Lactic Acid Fermentation
- Glucose oxidized to 2 molecules of pyruvic acid
- 2 molecules ATP is generated by the oxidation reaction
- In the next step 2 molecules of pyruvic acid are reduced by 2
molecules of NADH to form 2 molecules of lactic acid.
- Most energy produced by the reaction remains stored in lactic
acid .
NOTE:
Organism that produce only lactic acid as an end product are
called HOMOLACTIC.
Eg. Streptococcus, Lactobacillus
 Alcohol Fermentation
- 1. Begins with glycolysis
- 1 molecule of glucose yields 2 molecules of pyruvic acid and 2
molecules of ATP

- 2. In the next reaction, 2 molecules of pyruvic acid are converted to 2

molecules of acetaldehyde and 2 molecules of carbon dioxide

- 3. The 2 molecules of acetaldehyde are next reduced by 2 molecules

of NADH to form 2 molecules of ethanol
- Most of the energy contained in the initial glucose molecule remains
in the ethanol end product
- Note: organism that produce lactic acid as well as other acids or
alcohols are known as heterolatic ie. Acetobacter, Aspergillus,
Gluconobacter
 Anaerobic respiration Vs Fermentation

– Anaerobic Respiration: Final electron acceptor is never be O2

 Sulfate reducer: final electron acceptor is sodium sulfate (Na2 SO4)
 Methane reducer: final electron acceptor is CO2
 Nitrate reducer : final electroon acceptor is sodium nitrate (NaNO3)
more energy is produced in aerobic respiration. anaerobic is less energy
efficient as less ATP is generated.

Fermentation is Anaerobic process that does not use the E.T.S. Usually involves
the incomplete oxidation of a carbohydrate which then becomes the final electron
acceptor.
 Glycolysis - plus an additional step
 Lipid Metabolism
- Microbes produce extracellular enzymes called lipases that
breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol.
- Each component is then metabolized separately.
- The kreb cycle functions in the oxidation of glycerol and fatty
acids
Lipid-----(lipase)---- fatty acids—beta oxidation---acetyl Co.A---
Kreb cycle

Lipid---(lipase)--- glycerol---dihydroxyacetone phosphate---

gylceraldehyde 3 phosphate--- glycolysis---- pyruvic acid
 Metabolism of Protein
- Too large to pass unaided through plasma membrane}
- Microbes produce extracellular protease and peptidase which are
enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids which can cross
the membrane
- Before catabolized proteins must be enzymatically converted to
subsatnce that can enter the kreb cycle (DEAMINATION)
- Deamination:
The amino group of an amino acid is removed and converted to
ammonium ion .
The ammonium ion is excreted by the cell.
The remaining organic acid can enter the Kreb cycle.
Note: other conversions involves decarboxylation (removal of –COOH)
and dehydrogenation (removal of hydrogen ions)