BACTERIAL NUTRITION

Dr. M. Ashraf, Ph.D.

(Microbiology & Molecular Genetics)
NIAB, PIEAS, PAEC, Faisalabad
 NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Requirement of
Electrons
Carbon
Nitrogen
Sulpher and Phosphorus
Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, etc.
Vitamins
H2O

Dr. M. Ashraf, PS, NIAB, PIEAS, PAEC 2

 MODE OF NUTRITION
Microbes require for growth, the sources of:
Energy
Electrons
Carbon
Energy
Chemical compounds Chemotrophs
Radiant-Light Phototrophs
Electrons
Inorganic compounds Lithotrophs
Organic compounds Organotrophs
Carbon
Use CO2 Autotrophs
Use organic compounds Heterotrophs
Chemo-lithrophs
Photo-lithotrophs,
Chemo-organotrophs
Photo-organotrophs
Dr. M. Ashraf, PS, NIAB, PIEAS, PAEC 3
 MODE OF NUTRITION

Type Source of Source of Microorganism

Energy CO2
Phototroph Autotroph Light CO2 Chromatium sp.
Heterotroph Light Organic Rhodopseudomonas
compound sp.
Chemotroph Autotroph Oxidation of CO2 Thiobacillus sp.
inorganic
compounds
Heterotroph Oxidation of Organic E. coli
organic compound
compounds

Dr. M. Ashraf, PS, NIAB, PIEAS, PAEC 4

 MODE OF NUTRITION
Phototrophs
Chromatium sp. (Photo-lithotroph)
Use H 2S as electron donor
Oxidized to elemental sulpher
H2S --------- S + 2e- + 2H+

Rhodospirillum sp. (Photo-organotroph)

Use organic compounds as electron donor
Succinate --------- Fumerate + 2e - + 2H +
Autotroph
Nitrosomonas sp.
Use CO 2 as C source
CO2 + 4e- + 4H+ -------------- (CH2O) + H2O
(carbohydrate)
Heterotroph
Desulfovibrio desufuricans
Use organic source for C
H2 ----------- 2H+ + 2e-
2e- + H2SO4 ----------- S + H+ + H2O
Dr. M. Ashraf, PS, NIAB, PIEAS, PAEC 5
 MODE OF NUTRITION
Chemotrophs
Nitrosomonas sp. (Chemo-lithotroph)
use NH3 as electron source
Obtain energy by oxidizing NH 3 to NO 2

NH4+ + O2 + H2O -------------- NO2- + 2H3O+

2NH3 + 3O2 -------------- 2HNO2 + 2H2O

Nitrobacter sp. Nitrococcus sp. (Chemo-lithotroph)

HNO2 + O2 ------------ HNO3

Mixotroph
Pseudomonas sp. (Chemo-lithotroph)
Use H 2 (inorganic compound) as electron donor
H2 ----------- 2H+ + 2e-
OR
Pseudomonas sp. (Chemo-organotroph)
Use glucose (org. compound) as electron donor OR
C6H12O6 + 6H2O -------------- 6CO2 + 24H+ + 24e-
Dr. M. Ashraf, PS, NIAB, PIEAS, PAEC 6