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All [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prokaryote prokaryotes], which includes all bacteria in general, are categorized based on the levels of oxygen in their environment in which they can grow and how they utilize oxygen if at all <ref name="todar_nutgro4Todar_nutgro4"></ref>. ''Lactobacillus'' species are usually considered to be "facultative anaerobes" (or "facultative aerobes") <ref name="todar_lactics4"></ref>. Facultative anaerobes make energy from oxygen if it is present via the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidative_phosphorylation oxidative phosphorylation pathway], but otherwise engage in anaerobic fermentation <ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21208/ Biochemistry. 5th edition. Berg JM, Tymoczko JL, Stryer L. 2002. Chapter 18.]</ref><ref>[http://inst.bact.wisc.edu/inst/index.php?module=book&type=user&func=displayarticle&aid=111 Virtual Microbiology Textbook. Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved 12/02/2015.]</ref>. ''Lactobacilli'', however, are unique in that they blur the line between facultative anaerobes and another class of prokaryotes known as aerotolerant anaerobes (anaerobes that do not use oxygen to generate energy, but can grow in the presence of oxygen). They can utilize oxygen, but not through the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. They use an alternative pathway instead. This pathway uses flavine-containing oxidases and peroxidases to carry out the oxidation of NADH2 using O2. ''Lactobicalli'' then are a somewhat special case of facultative anaerobes <ref>Correspondence with Bryan Heit from Dan Pixley. 12/01/2015.</ref>. The important take away here is that ''Lactobacillus'' do not care if oxygen is present in order to grow and produce energy for themselves and lactic acid for brewers.