Introductory Microbiology

Carbon requirement

• The most oxidized form of 'C' is carbon dioxide. Organisms which are photosynthetic reduce CO₂ to organic cell constituents. Energy for this process is derived from light or the oxidation of reduced inorganic compounds such as H₂ S. On the other hand, all non-photosynthetic organisms obtain their carbon requirement mainly from organic nutrients which contain reduced carbon compounds. They not only provide the carbon for synthesis but also meet the energy requirement by entering into energy yielding metabolic pathways and are eventually oxidized to CO₂.