Streptococcus mutans is a major cause of cavities. It...

Name: Problem 14, Chapter 9: Microbiology
Uploaded: 2021-08-26T01:38:36-08:00
Duration: 1 min 13 s
Channel: Christina Sorrentino
Description: Streptococcus mutans is a major cause of cavities. It resides in the gum pockets, does not have catalase activity, and can be grown outside of an anaerobic chamber. The bacterium is probably which of the following? a. a facultative anaerobe b. an obligate aerobe c. an obligate anaerobe d. an aerotolerant anaerobe

Streptococcus mutans is a major cause of cavities. It resides in the gum pockets, does not have catalase activity, and can be grown outside of an anaerobic chamber. The bacterium is probably which of the following? a. a facultative anaerobe b. an obligate aerobe c. an obligate anaerobe d. an aerotolerant anaerobe

Streptococcus mutans is a major cause of cavities. It resides in the gum pockets, does not have catalase activity, and can be grown outside of an anaerobic chamber. The bacterium is probably which of the following?
a. a facultative anaerobe
b. an obligate aerobe
c. an obligate anaerobe
d. an aerotolerant anaerobe

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Key Concepts

Oxygen Requirements in Bacteria

This concept covers the various ways bacteria manage oxygen availability in their environments, distinguishing between obligate aerobes (which require oxygen), obligate anaerobes (which are harmed by oxygen), facultative anaerobes (which can switch between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism), and aerotolerant anaerobes (which do not use oxygen but are not harmed by it).

Facultative Anaerobes

Facultative anaerobes are organisms capable of using oxygen for aerobic metabolism when it is present but can also switch to anaerobic pathways in its absence. This flexibility in metabolic pathways allows them to thrive under diverse environmental conditions.

Catalase Activity

Catalase is an enzyme that decomposes hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, offering protection against oxidative stress. In bacterial classification, the presence or absence of catalase activity is an important diagnostic tool for differentiating between groups of bacteria, particularly among those with varied oxygen requirements.

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