Question

Acid Resistance/tolerance/adaptation: ​​​​​​​

1. List 5 mechanisms by which bacteria respond to acid stress in order to survive and maintain a pH 7 cytoplasm and explain how each one works.

Answer 1

MICROBIAL SPECIES DEVELOPED VARIETY OF RESISTANT MECHANISMS. THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY ACIDIC ENVIRONMENTS IS MITIGATED BY MAINTAINING PH HOMEOSTASIS, CELL MEMBRANE INTEGRITY AND FLUIDITY, METABOLIC REGULATION AND MACROMOLECULAR REPAIR.

1. pH homeostasis: regulation of pH inside and outside the cell, it is important for cell growth and metabolism, influencing absorption and utilization of nutrients, degradation of substrates, synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids.

2. enzyme based acid tolerance:

3. restriction of proton permeation: proton motive force (PMF) is a measurement of the energy state of the cell membrane generated by a charge separation between the cytoplsm and external milieu created by membrane potential and ph gradient across the membrane.

4. enhancement of proton pump: PMF dependent proton pump is one of the most important acid tolerance system in bacteria.

5. consumption of protons: consumpt excess cytoplasmic protons to sustain excessive cytoplasmic proton