Anaerobic respiration

Anaerobic respiration is respiration using electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen (O2) in its electron transport chain.[1]

In aerobic organisms, 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
4H
2O2−
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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