Using genomics to contemplate microbial physiology

Abstract

A major objective of a microbial physiology curriculum is to cement a comprehensive understanding of central carbon metabolism (glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the citric acid cycle). One way to meet this goal is to have students consider the catabolic and anabolic roles of these pathways in organisms with diverse physiologies (e.g., respiratory heterotrophs; nonrespiratory, fermentative heterotrophs; autotrophs). In MCB4404 Microbial Physiology Lab, we query microbial genome sequences to elucidate the presence and absence of genes encoding enzymes catalyzing steps of central carbon metabolism in a variety of microorganisms. This genome‐level approach exposes students to bioinformatics tools and allows them to test hypotheses for gene presence/absence based on their understanding of microbial physiology. This project is generously supported by the USDA Cooperative State Research and Extension Service: US Department of Agriculture Higher Education Challenge Grants Program.