aerobes use oxygen as the final electron acceptor.
aerobes use what as the final electron acceptor?
oxygen
an exoelectrogen normally refers to a microorganism that has the ability to transfer electrons extracellularly. while exoelectrogen is the predominant name, other terms have been used: electrochemically active bacteria, anode respiring bacteria, and electricigens. electrons exocytosed in this fashion are produced following atp production using an electron transport chain (etc) during oxidative phosphorylation. conventional cellular respiration requires a final electron acceptor to receive these electrons. cells that use molecular oxygen (o) as their final electron acceptor are described as using aerobic respiration, while cells that use other soluble compounds as their final electron acceptor are described as using anaerobic respiration. however, the final electron acceptor of an exoelectrogen is found extracellularly and can be a strong oxidizing agent in aqueous solution or a solid conductor/electron acceptor. two commonly observed acceptors are iron compounds (specifically fe(iii) oxides) and manganese compounds (specifically mn(iii/iv) oxides). as oxygen is a strong oxidizer, cells are able to do this strictly in the absence of oxygen.
exoelectrogen
a parallel relationship can easily be drawn between halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding (hb). in both types of bonding, an electron donor/electron acceptor relationship exists. the difference between the two is what species can act as the electron donor/electron acceptor. in hydrogen bonding, a hydrogen atom acts as the electron acceptor and forms a non-covalent interaction by accepting electron density from an electron rich site (electron donor). in halogen bonding, a halogen atom is the electron acceptor. simultaneously, the normal covalent bond between h or x and d weakens, so the electron density on h or x appears to be reduced. electron density transfers results in a penetration of the van der waals volumes.
halogen bond