Microbial Metabolism

Model 1

Abstract

This is model 1, the first in a series of models to introduce allied health students in college to carbohydrate catabolism (approximately their sophomore year). Many nursing students want to go into nursing because they want to care for people, without realizing that it requires a firm background in the biological sciences. Many students do not have a strong background in biology when they take Microbiology.

The activity was designed because existing models were either too detailed or not detailed enough. My students do not need to know the individual steps or enzymes involved in the major metabolic pathways. The focus is on the big picture. What is the purpose of the pathways, how much energy is generated, which pathways require the presence of oxygen? Because this activity is so basic in its design, it might be well-suited for high school students as well.

Most students have had a background in high school biology that was focused on Eukaryotic cell biology and have learned that oxygen is an absolute requirement for carbohydrate catabolism. However, most microbes do not require oxygen, some are actually harmed by oxygen. For this reason, these activities ask for each pathway whether molecular oxygen is required. In fact, in the next chapter, students learn about obligate anaerobic bacteria.

The setting for this activity is a classroom, students are divided in traditional POGIL groups of 3 or 4 students and work together. Any calculations performed are verified with other groups as well.