Anaerobic bacteria are microorganisms that grow in the absence of molecular oxygen, deriving energy through fermentation or anaerobic respiration rather than aerobic metabolism. They are classified by their relationship to oxygen as obligate anaerobes, which are harmed or killed by oxygen because they lack defenses …
Anaerobic bacteria are microorganisms that grow in the absence of molecular oxygen, deriving energy through fermentation or anaerobic respiration rather than aerobic metabolism. They are classified by their relationship to oxygen as obligate anaerobes, which are harmed or killed by oxygen because they lack defenses against reactive oxygen species, facultative anaerobes, which grow with or without it, and aerotolerant or microaerophilic forms that tolerate or require reduced concentrations. Such organisms inhabit oxygen-depleted niches including the digestive tracts of animals, dental plaque and subgingival pockets, deep sediments, wastewater, and waterlogged soils, where they perform essential roles in biogeochemical cycling and in the breakdown of organic matter. In medicine, anaerobes are significant agents of infection, contributing to periodontal disease, abscess formation, and, in genera such as Actinomyces, to deep tissue and rare sellar infections. Their metabolic capabilities are harnessed in applied settings, notably the anaerobic treatment of industrial and dairy wastewater and the design of fermentation and colon-targeted processes. Cultivation requires oxygen-free conditions, which complicates isolation and identification. Research addresses the physiology and ecology of anaerobes, their part in environmental nutrient cycling and waste degradation, their pathogenic potential in human disease, and the exploitation of anaerobic activity in biotechnological and bioremediation applications.
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The 5 articles above have been cited 16 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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