Anaerobic respiration

Anaerobic respiration is respiration using electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen (O2). Although oxygen is not the final electron acceptor, the process still uses a respiratory electron transport chain.[1]

In aerobic organisms undergoing respiration, electrons are shuttled to an electron transport chain, and the final electron acceptor is oxygen. Molecular oxygen is an excellent electron acceptor. Anaerobes instead use less-oxidizing substances such as nitrate (NO
3
), fumarate (C
4
H
2
O2−
4
), sulfate (SO2−
4
), or elemental sulfur (S). These terminal electron acceptors have smaller reduction potentials than O2. Less energy per oxidized molecule is released. Therefore, anaerobic respiration is less efficient than aerobic.

  1. ^ Slonczewski, Joan L.; Foster, John W. (2011). Microbiology: An Evolving Science (2nd ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. p. 166. ISBN 9780393934472.

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