Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Faculty of Engineering Sciences

Department of Biotechnology Engineering

369-1-3041
General Microbiology for Biotechnology
Dr. Ariel Kushmaro, Ph.D., Lecturer

Bacterial growth curve experiment

1. growth curve experiment

Go to: http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/LabWork/bact/bact1.htm

2. Growth curve exercise

How many viable bacteria were there in your sample?

Time (minutes) Dilution Factor Plate Counts Average Plate Number of living
(CFU) Count (CFU) cells in the
culture
0 10^4 199,205,214 206 2060000
15 10^4 196,215,201 204 2040000
30 10^4 198,207,213 206 2060000
45 10^4 272,254,263 263 2630000
60 10^5 42,38,46 42 4200000
90 10^5 80,84,79 81 8100000
120 10^5 173,168,184 175 17500000
150 10^6 42,33,36 37 37000000
210 10^6 49,55,52 52 52000000
270 10^6 55,49,58 54 54000000
330 10^6 59,55,48 54 54000000
390 10^5 263,253,255 257 25700000
420 10^5 180,176,184 180 18000000
450 10^5 57,66,63 62 6200000

a. Now, graph the results of the experiment, put time (in minutes) on the x-axis and
numbers of living bacteria on the y-axis (log).
b. Calculate a growth rate and generation time using this formula:
k= [log (xt) - log (x0)] / 0.301 * t
k= the number of population doublings in one hour (called the growth rate constant)
x0= the number of cells/milliliter at the beginning of the log phase
xt= the number of cells/ml at some later time
t= the number of hours between the beginning and the later time
1/k= the Generation Time (the amount of time it takes for a population to double in number)
Answers

Growth curve experiment

8
10
Log CFU

7
10

6
10
0 15 30 45 60 90 120 150 210 270 330 390 420 450

Time (minutes)

Growth rate:
k= [log (xt) - log (x0)] / 0.301 * t

k= 7.568-6.08/0.301*1=2.19
1/k=27min.