• Bacterial Metabolism Microbial Growth & Reproduction Definition of Terms 1. GROWTH in bacteriology is defined as a steady increase in all of the chemical components of the cell • Increase in chemical constituents of the cell leading to BIOMASS increase • BIOMASS increase is accompanied with increase in the SIZE of a cell though not often visible • Maximally enlarged cell subsequently undergoes cell division • Evidence of growth in bacteria is CELL DIVISION Microbial Growth & Reproduction 2. REPRODUCTION Method of multiplication Binary Fission: method of reproduction in bacteria
BINARY FISSION is a process that involves involution of the
bacterial cell membrane and the nascent cell wall near the site of a septal mesosome thus forming a septum. The septum subsequently separates the cells into two daughter cells of nearly equal size such that each daughter cell contains about half the complements of structures, macromolecules, enzymes of the mother cell BINARY FISSION: Graphical representation Microbial Growth & Reproduction • GENERATION TIME The time required for a cell to divide (and its population to double)
It includes the period of cell growth and division
Growth [Biomass increase] and DNA Replication
are simultaneous and interdependent
aka- Doubling time
BALANCED Growth • Balanced Growth: one in which the rate of increment of all the chemical constituents of all cells in a population is constant
• At optimal environment, defined as:
– Change in no of cell per unit time – Change in biomass per unit time
• It is an indication of the orderliness of increase
• Characteristic of bacteria • Function of the culture medium, physical & chemical growth conditions Growth in a Bacterial Population • Growth of bacteria is geometric where there are no limitations N n = 2n N o (Exponential / Logarithmic Growth)
N n = No of cells after n divisions
n= No of divisions/ generations
N o = original No of cells Generation Time • G = t log2 / log Nt – log No No = number of bacteria at beginning of a time interval. Nt = number of bacteria at end of any interval of time (t). G = generation time T = time , usually expressed in minutes n = number of generation Bacterial Growth Curve • Why isn't the earth covered with bacteria?
• Geometric bacterial growth suggest that the
population of bacterial continues to double unabated • With time every part of the earth will be covered with bacteria without restrictions
• This is not so in nature!!!!!!
Factors affecting cell division 1. Genetic nature of bacteria
2. Culture medium
3. Physical & Chemical agents
a. Antibiotics b. Dyes c. Detergents d. Disinfectants e. Anti-metabolites f. UV irradiation g. Extremes of temperature Growth curve of bacteria
1. Lag Phase 2. Exponential Phase 3. Stationary Phase 4. Death Phase Lag phase: Growth is slow at first, while the bacteria acclimate to the food and nutrients in their new habitat. Cells begin to synthesize inducible enzymes and use stored food reserves. Logarithmic growth phase: Once the metabolic machinery is running, they start multiplying exponentially, doubling in number every few minutes. the rate of multiplication is constant. Stationary phase: As more and more bacteria are competing for dwindling food and nutrients, booming growth stops and the number of bacteria stabilizes. Death rate is equal to rate of increase. Death phase: Toxic waste products build up, food is depleted and the bacteria begin to die. Cells begin to die at a more rapid rate than that of reproduction. Microbial Nutrition Nutritional requirements • Macronutrients – Microorganisms require about ten elements in large quantities, – they are used to construct carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids – ≥95% of cell dry weight is made up of these major elements: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron.
– The first six ( C, H, O, N, P and S) are components
of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids Nutritional requirements • Trace Elements
– Microbes require very small amounts of other
mineral elements,
– Examples: iron, copper, molybdenum, and zinc;
– Most are essential for activity of certain enzymes,
usually as cofactors. Nutritional requirements • Growth Factors – These are intact nutrients (not monosaccharide or inorganic elements like nitrogen) required for growth – They include amino acids, purines and pyrimidines, vitamins • Amino acids are needed for protein synthesis, • Purines and pyrimidines for nucleic acid synthesis. • Vitamins are small organic molecules that usually make up all or part of enzyme cofactors, and only very small amounts are required for growth. Nutritional types of microorganisms Sources of energy, Major nutritional hydrogen/electrons, Representative type and carbon microorganisms Photoautotroph Light energy, inorganic Algae, Purple and green hydrogen/electron(H/e-) bacteria, Cyanobacteria (Photolithotroph) donor, CO2 carbon source
