Do bacteria need oxygen?
Furthermore, what bacteria can survive without oxygen?
Anaerobes can be classified as facultative anaerobes which are able to survive with or without oxygen obligate anaerobes which require environments without oxygen. Aerobes are bacteria that require oxygen for survival. They cannot undergo metabolic processes without oxygen.
Hereof, how do bacteria survive in the absence of oxygen?
Oxygen Toxicity Obligate anaerobes, which live only in the absence of oxygen, do not possess the defenses that make aerobic life possible and therefore cannot survive in air. The excited singlet oxygen molecule is very reactive. Therefore, superoxide must be removed for the cells to survive in the presence of oxygen.
Oxygen Requirements for Pathogenic Bacteria
- Aerobes: Aerobes grow in ambient air, which contains 21% oxygen and small amount of (0.03%) of carbon dioxide.
- Obligate aerobes: They have absolute requirement for oxygen in order to grow.
- Anaerobes: Usually bacteria of this group can not grow in the presence of oxygen, oxygen is toxic for them.