Reference no: EM132490038

BigMoney Inc. has created a large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) during a chemical synthesis. They read a paper describing how many cattle farms are creating their own energy by burning the methane given off by their cattle.  Therefore they want to know on a strictly theoretical basis (regardless of whether bacteria exist in nature that actually do these specific reactions) if there are any types of bacteria that could metabolize carbon dioxide to give rise to methane. HINT: this is NOT a fermentation pathway, and the redox potential of CO2 → CH4 is +4.0. 

CO2    →   CH4 

1. Is this an oxidation or reduction? 
2. Is CO2 serving as an electron acceptor or donor? 
3. Which of the following metabolic pathways (aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, aerobic chemolithotrophy and anaerobic chemolithotrophy) could be used to carry out this reaction? Remember, think strictly theoretically. You must think about whether each of these reactions can oxidize or reduce inorganic materials. You may not change the pathways in any manner except the exact molecules that serve as the final electron acceptors and the initial electrons donors; however, the donors and acceptors may NOT change type (organic vs inorganic). For example if a microbe would normally use an organic electron donor and an inorganic electron acceptor, this can NOT change. Note you must indicate ALL metabolic pathways that could be used.