Microorganisms use hydrogen bonds to attach themselves to the surfaces that they live on. Many of them lose hold of the surface because of the weak nature of these bonds and end up dying or being washed away. Why don't microbes just use covalent bonds instead?
A) Covalent bonds depend on completely giving up or completely accepting an electron to form the bond. This isn't possible for many microbes without dramatically altering their basic molecular composition.
B) Covalent bonds typically require enzymes to form/break, whereas hydrogen bonds don't. If covalent bonds were used, it would require much more energy and molecules to be contributed from the cell. Hydrogen bonds don't have these requirements.
C) Bacteria grow in very moist environments, where water is freely available. Water is a supply of hydrogen atoms, so it makes sense for the bacteria to simply use hydrogen bonds for attachment.
D) All the answer choices are correct.
E) None of the answer choices is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Covalent bonds are stronger than hydrogen bonds but require enzymes to form/break, making them less efficient for microbes to use. Using hydrogen bonds instead requires less energy and molecules from the cell, making it a more practical choice for attachment.

Microorganisms Use Hydrogen Bonds to Attach Themselves to the Surfaces