Facultative anaerobic organism

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Facultative Anaerobic Organism

A Facultative Anaerobic Organism (pronunciation: fuh-KUL-tuh-tiv an-uh-ROH-bik OR-guh-niz-uhm) is a type of microorganism that can survive in both oxygen-rich (aerobic) and oxygen-poor (anaerobic) environments. The term "facultative" is derived from the Latin word "facultas", meaning "ability or power", and "anaerobic" comes from the Greek words "an-", meaning "without", and "aer", meaning "air".

Facultative anaerobic organisms are capable of metabolizing energy (typically in the form of glucose) through both respiration (in the presence of oxygen) and fermentation (in the absence of oxygen). This dual metabolic capability allows these organisms to adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions and survive in a variety of habitats.

Some examples of facultative anaerobic organisms include certain species of bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and some types of yeast, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Related Terms

  • Aerobic organism: An organism that requires oxygen to survive and grow.
  • Anaerobic organism: An organism that does not require oxygen for growth. It may react negatively or even die if oxygen is present.
  • Microaerophile: An organism that requires oxygen to survive, but at lower concentration than is present in the atmosphere.
  • Obligate anaerobe: An organism that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen.

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