MicroJournal Entry #4 - Dictionary

Classification of microbes based on:

• Carbon and Energy Source

Photoautotroph - organisms which use carbon dioxide as a carbon source and light energy from the environment to make their own food. Example: plants and algae.

Chemoautotroph - organisms which use carbon dioxide as a carbon source but catabolize organic molecules for energy. Example: Rhizobium

Photoheterotroph - are photosynthetic organisms that acquire energy from light and acquire nutrients via catabolism of organic compounds. Example: Heliobacteria

Chemoheterotroph - organisms which use organic compounds for both energy and carbon. Example: Salmonella

• Temperature Requirements

Psychrophiles - microbes which require temperatures below 20°C for optimum growth. Example: Anthrobacter sp.

Mesophiles - microbes which grow best at temperatures ranging between about 20°C and 40°C. Example: Staphylococcus aureus

Thermophiles - microbes which require temperatures above 45°C for maximum growth. Example: Rhizomucor pusillus

Hyperthermophiles - microbes that require temperatures above 80°C for optimum growth. Example: Aquifex aeolicus