Multiple choice

A new isolate of a facultative anaerobe utilizes either oxygen or pyruvate as terminal electron acceptor. This bacterium was grown either anaerobically with glucose as sole carbon source; or aerobically with lactose as the sole carbon source. Net increase in ATP production (per mole of the carbon source) during the aerobic growth would be

  1. 2 - fold

  2. 4 - fold

  3. 19 - fold

  4. 38 - fold
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D Correct answer
Explanation

Aerobic respiration via oxidative phosphorylation yields approximately 36 to 38 ATP molecules per mole of glucose, compared to only 2 ATP molecules produced via anaerobic glycolysis. Thus, the net increase in ATP production during aerobic growth is a 19-fold increase (38 divided by 2).

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