reduction

(noun)

A reaction in which electrons are gained and valence is reduced; often by the removal of oxygen or the addition of hydrogen.

Related Terms

Examples of reduction in the following topics:

  • Genome Reduction

    • Genome reduction is the loss of genome size of a species in comparison to its ancestors.
    • The opposite or genome reduction also occurs.
    • Genome reduction, also known as genome degradation, is the process by which a genome shrinks relative to its ancestor.
    • Genomes fluctuate in size regularly; however, genome size reduction is most significant in bacteria.The most evolutionary significant cases of genome reduction may be the eukaryotic organelles that are derived from bacteria: the mitochondrion and plastid.
    • The reductive evolution model has been proposed as an effort to define the genomic commonalities seen in all obligate endosymbionts.

  • Nitrate Reduction and Denitrification

    • E. coli) only produce nitrate reductase and therefore can accomplish only the first reduction leading to the accumulation of nitrite.
    • Generally, several species of bacteria are involved in the complete reduction of nitrate to molecular nitrogen, and more than one enzymatic pathway have been identified in the reduction process.
    • The direct reduction of nitrate to ammonium (dissimilatory nitrate reduction) can be performed by organisms with the nrf-gene.
    • This is a less common method of nitrate reduction than denitrification in most ecosystems.
    • Outline the processes of nitrate reduction and denitrification and the organisms that utilize it

  • Sulfate and Sulfur Reduction

    • Sulfate reduction is a type of anaerobic respiration that utilizes sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor in the electron transport chain.
    • Sulfate reduction is a type of anaerobic respiration that utilizes sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor in the electron transport chain.
    • The overall process, thus, involves an investment of two molecules of the energy carrier ATP, which must to be regained from the reduction.
    • The hydrogen produced during fermentation is actually what drives respiration during sulfate reduction.
    • Outline the process of sulfate and sulfur reduction including its various purposes

  • Proton Reduction

    • Reduction occurs when an oxidant gains an electron.
    • Photosynthesis involves the reduction of carbon dioxide into sugars and the oxidation of water into molecular oxygen.
    • Proton reduction is important for setting up electrochemical gradients for anaerobic respiration.
    • The electron acceptor NAD+ is regenerated from NADH formed in oxidative steps of the fermentation pathway by the reduction of oxidized compounds.
    • In every redox reaction you have two halves: reduction and oxidation.

  • Electron Donors and Acceptors in Anaerobic Respiration

    • These molecules have a lower reduction potential than oxygen; thus, less energy is formed per molecule of glucose in anaerobic versus aerobic conditions.
    • Nitrate, like oxygen, has a high reduction potential.
    • Sulfate reduction uses sulfate (SO2−4) as the electron acceptor, producing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a metabolic end product.
    • Sulfate reduction is a relatively energetically poor process, and is used by many Gram negative bacteria found within the δ-Proteobacteria.
    • These include the reduction of fumarate to succinate, Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) to trimethylamine (TMA), and Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to Dimethyl sulfide (DMS).

  • Iron Oxidation

    • Selenate (SeO2−4) reduction to selenite (SeO2−3) and selenite reduction to inorganic selenium (Se0)

  • Rate of Microbial Death

    • Time-temperature measurements of bacterial reduction is determined by a D-value, meaning how long it would take to reduce the bacterial population by 90% or one log10 at a given temperature.
    • The target of reduction in canning is the 12-D reduction of Clostridium botulinum, which means that processing time will reduce the amount of this bacteria by 1012 bacteria per gram or milliliter.
    • A 12-D reduction will take 151 seconds .
    • This curve presents the DR value (12.6 seconds) and the 12-D reduction (151 seconds) for C. botulinum.

  • The Reverse TCA Cycle

    • This process requires a number of reduction reactions using various carbon compounds.
    • These enzymes are unique to reverse TCA and are necessary for the reductive carboxylation to occur.
    • 5) succincyl CoA is converted to alpha-ketoglutarate via an alpha-ketoglutarate synthase (reduction of carbon dioxide occurs and oxidation of coenzyme A)
    • The organisms classified as Thermoproteus utilizes sulfur reduction for metabolic processes.

  • Nitrogen Fixation Mechanism

    • This type of reaction results in N2 gaining electrons (see above equation) and is thus termed a reduction reaction.
    • The enzymatic reduction of N2 to ammonia therefore requires an input of chemical energy, released from ATP hydrolysis, to overcome the activation energy barrier.
    • Substrate binding and reduction takes place on component I, which binds to ATP and ferredoxin or flavodoxin proteins (Fdx or Fld) (see step B).
    • Note this is a reduction reaction which means that electrons must be added to the N2 to reduce it to NH4.
    • A) Components I and II are dissociated; II is ready for reduction.

  • Intermediates Produced During the Calvin Cycle

    • The Calvin Cycle is also referred to as the reductive pentose phosphate cycle or the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle.
    • The process of carbon fixation involves the reduction of carbon dioxide to organic compounds by living organisms.
    • The Calvin cycle can be divided into three major phases which include: Phase 1: carbon fixation; Phase 2: reduction; and Phase 3: regeneration of ribulose .
    • Once 3-PGA is formed, one of two molecules formed continues into the reduction phase (phase 2).