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a. b. C. e. f. 3. 9. The Company BigMoney Inc. is in trouble again. This time they have had a major spill of a hydrocarbon fuel. They looked through the literature and found the following charts describing the types of metabolism used by microbes to degrade hydrocarbons at 25 contaminated sites. Not having taken microbiology or biochemistry, they want to know what these charts mean. Please describe to them how bacteria would perform methanogenesis. Assume that any bacterium capable of degrading hydrocarbons is capable of first breaking the hydrocarbons down into glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. Please answer the following questions about bacteria capable of carrying out methanogenesis. Note: the type of methanogenesis occurring here IS NOT fermentation. Also note, the redox potential of CO₂ is 0.5. (7 points total) methanogenesis 42% Relative Importance of Biodegradation Mechanisms at 25 Sites Aerobic respiration 7% Sulfate reduction 30% denitrification 12% iron reduc- tion 9% Conceptualization of Electron Acceptor Zooes in the Subsurface Aerobic respiration Denitrification methanogenesis Sulfate reduction 30% d. Where do the electrons given to the electron acceptor come from? In other words, what molecule is the FIRST electron donor at the beginning of metabolism? (Hint: what are the bacteria eating?) (1 point) iron reduction Why does the bacteria break the hydrocarbon down into glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate? (0.5 point) List the pathways (glycolysis, TCA, electron transport chain, fermentation, photosynthesis, chemolithotrophy) a bacterium would use during methanogenesis that results in the degradation of a hydrocarbon. Note: other types of metabolism may be occurring, but only indicate those pathways occurring while performing methanogenesis. (1.5 point) Indicate the final electron acceptor used in methanogenesis. (1 point) Indicate whether the type of metabolism you have just described is fermentation, photosynthesis, anaerobic respiration, aerobic chemolithotrophy or anaerobic chemolithotrophy. (1 point) How would your answer differ if you were describing aerobic respiration?(1 point) Using the charts please indicate if you notice any trends about the types of metabolism used to degrade hydrocarbon spills. (1 point)