n. any organism, especially a microbe, that requires the presence of free oxygen for life and growth. See also anaerobe; microaerophilic.
Gram’s Method is a staining procedure that separates bacteria into those that stain (positive) and those that don’t (negative). Gram-positive bugs cause such lovely things as scarlet fever, tetanus, and anthrax, while some of the gram negs can give you cholera, plague, and the clap. This is significant to the microbiologist and the pathologist; otherwise I wouldn’t worry. Still, knowing the specifics (toss in anaerobes and aerobes as well), you can impress real medical professionals with your knowledge of the secret, arcane language of medicine.... gram-positive/negative
adj. 1. of or relating to aerobes: requiring free oxygen for life and growth. 2. describing a type of cellular *respiration in which foodstuffs (carbohydrates) are completely oxidized by atmospheric oxygen, with the production of maximum chemical energy from the foodstuffs.... aerobic
n. any organism, especially a microbe, that is able to live and grow in the absence of free oxygen. A facultative anaerobe is a microorganism that grows best in the presence of oxygen but is capable of some growth in its absence. An obligate anaerobe can grow only in the absence of free oxygen. Compare aerobe; microaerophilic.... anaerobe
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