Description | Chlorobium phaeobacteroides is a microorganism that thrives in a temperature range of 25-35°C, categorizing it as a mesophile. As a phototroph, it harnesses energy from light to power its metabolism. Specifically, it is a photoautotroph, able to produce its own organic compounds from carbon dioxide using sunlight as its energy source. Chlorobium phaeobacteroides is capable of producing energy through the process of chemiosmosis, where light energy is used to generate a proton gradient across its cell membrane. This gradient is then used to produce ATP through the process of oxidative phosphorylation. As a Gram-negative bacterium, Chlorobium phaeobacteroides has a characteristic thin peptidoglycan layer outside its outer membrane. Its cells are typically rod-shaped or comma-shaped, allowing for efficient absorption of light and nutrients. Chlorobium phaeobacteroides has been isolated from a variety of aquatic environments, including freshwater lakes and ponds, as well as saltwater estuaries and oceans. It is widely distributed across different body sites, including water, sediment, and even biofilms. As an obligate anaerobe, Chlorobium phaeobacteroides requires a reduced environment to thrive, as it lacks the enzymes necessary to cope with oxygen. This unique adaptation allows it to colonize environments where other microorganisms would be inhibited by oxygen levels. One of the most fascinating aspects of Chlorobium phaeobacteroides is its ability to produce a unique pigment, bacteriochlorophyll, which allows it to absorb light in the near-infrared region of the visible spectrum. This pigment is responsible for the distinctive orange-red color of the microbe. |
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