MD-2021 | Manila Central University S.Y.

2018-2019

MICROBIOLOGY
BACTERIAL GROWTH and NUTRITION
Dr. Catherine G. Gironella | August 29, 2018
PHASES of GROWTH

BACTERIAL GROWTH
Bacteria divide by binary fission.
Generation time or doubling time
8 to 10 minutes for Clostridium perfringens
15 to 20 hours for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Escherichia coli with doubling time of 30 minutes will grow

overnight into >1 billion cells (109)

Mycobacterium tuberculosis almost 12 to 24 hours

-cultural growth is 2 to 4 weeks
-culture media: Lowenstein-Jensen medium
-breadcrumbs appearance
LAG PHASE Synthesis of enzymes and molecules
needed for growth
Cell mass and size increase
Length of the lag phase depends on:
- Kind of bacteria
- Age and size of the inoculum
LOG PHASE Cell mass and number increase in
logarithmic manner with a constant
generation time
Period of balanced growth
Rate of division is dependent on:
- Type of organism
- Nature of the medium
- Temperature
E. coli on EMB (Eosin Methylin Blue Agar) - Rate of aeration
“green metallic sheen” appearance STATIONARY Accumulation of waste products,
PHASE exhaustion of nutrients, change in pH,
or a decrease in oxygen
Steady state in which some cells die
and others continue to divide
Change in gene expression leading to
changes in cell shape and increased
resistance to many type of environment
DEATH Rate of death exceeds the rate of
reproduction
Number of viable cells decline
The length of time before all cells have
died differs markedly for various
organisms

GROWTH REQUIREMENTS

CARBON
Autotrophic (lithotrophic)
- utilizes CO2 as the sole source of carbon

Heterotrophic (organotrophic)
- requires CO2 in an organic form such as glucose

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 MD-2021 | Manila Central University S.Y. 2018-2019

ENERGY SOURCE INORGANIC IONS

Photolithotrophs/photoorganotrophs
- utilizes light as energy source
Chemolithotrophs/chemoorganotrophs
- derives energy from oxidation-reduction rxns
Most human pathogens are chemoorganotrophs.
NITROGEN
- Nitrogen is a component of amino acids, purines,
pyrimidines and biomolecules
GROWTH FACTORS
Prototrophic bacteria
- Organisms which do not require exogenous source of
growth factors
Auxotrophic mutants
- Organisms that needs growth factors for optimum
growth
All bacteria require small amounts of the following inorganic
ions: nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and
calcium
Most bacteria: iron, manganese, zinc, copper and cobalt while
for others selenium and molybdenum are essential.
Halophilic organisms require high salt concentration.
OXYGEN
Obligate aerobes – utilize oxygen as the final electron acceptor
(Mycobacterium, Bordetella, Neisseria, Pseudomonas,
Brucella and Francisella)
Obligate anaerobes – cannot tolerate oxygen (Clostridum and
Bacteroides)
Microaerophilic/Microaerobic – grow best in an atmosphere of
reduced oxygen (Campylobacter)

**growth factors – substances that is added to have optimum Facultative anaerobes – organisms that grow either in an
growth aerobic or anaerobic condition (Escherichia)

Haemophilus influenzae
X factor (heme) and V factor (NAD) TEMPERATURE
“phenomenon of satellitism” Psychrophilic – optimum temperature is 0 to 20°C

Mesophilic – optimum temp is 20 to 40°C

Most human pathogens belong to this group.

Thermophilic – optimum temp is 40 to 80°C

HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATION

pH also affects the rate of growth
Optimum pH (pathogenic bacteria) – 7.2 to 7.6

Bacteria may be classified as follows:

Acidophiles – pH 6.5 to 7.0
Neutrophiles – 7.5 to 8.0
Alkalophiles – pH 8.4 to 9.0
Bacteroides melaninogenicus
Black colonies of blood agar
(either sheep or human blood as additive)

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