BACTERIAL GROWTH

Bacteria replicate by binary fission

Generation time : Time taken by a

bacterial cell to divide into two

daughter cells
Usually 20 minutes under optimum

conditions
Mycobacterium tuberculosis

– 20 hours
Mycobacterium leprae – 20 days
Binary fission
Bacterial counts - Total count
A) Total count – Total number of bacterial cells in a
medium (both live and dead bacteria)

1) By using counting chamber

2) By measuring turbidity

Spectrophotometer
Bacterial counts - Viable count
B) Viable count – Total number of only the living bacterial
cells in a medium

1) By pour plate

2) Spread plate

method
Bacterial growth curve
 Bacteria is grown in a suitable liquid medium

 Bacterial counts are made at intervals

 Bacterial count is plotted against time - a growth curve is

obtained
Bacterial growth curve
Lag phase
 No increase in number
 Adaptation to new environment

 Accumulation of food and resources for growth and

multiplication
There may be an increase in the size of the cells
Log phase

 The cells start dividing and their numbers increase

exponentially or by geometric progression with time
 The cells are of unform shape and size

 The cells stain uniformly

The bacteria exhibit all their biochemical properties better

during the log phase
Stationary phase

The cell division stops due to depletion of nutrients

and accumulation of toxic products

The number of progeny cells formed is just enough to

replace the number of cells that die

The total counts remains stationary as an equilibrium

exists.         
Stationary phase (contd.)
During this phase cells are Gram variable and show

irregular staining  due to the presence of intracellular

storage granules
Sporulation occurs at this stage

Many bacteria may produce secondary metabolic

products such as exotoxins and antibiotics

Decline phase (death phase)

This is the phase viable count decreases

Cell death is due to nutritional exhaustion, toxic

accumulations
Growth requirements
Minimum growth requirement of bacteria are water, a
source of carbon, nitrogen and some inorganic
compounds

1. Water – 80% of bacterial cell is made up of water

Water is required for nutrient absorption and various

biological process, elimination of all waste products
Essential metabolites – Carbon and energy
Microorganisms are grouped as follows according to energy
source and carbon source

Energy source

1. Phototrophs – bacteria which derives their energy from

sunlight

2. Chemotrophs – bacteria which use the oxidation and

reduction of chemical compounds as their primary energy
source.
• Carbon source – Carbons are structural backbone of
organic compounds that make up living cell.
• 1.Autotrophs - bacteria which can synthesize all
their organic compounds by utilising atmospheric
CO2 and N2
• 2.Heterotrophs – unable to synthesise their own
metabolites
Nitrogen source

Human pathogenic bacteria requires protein for their

N2 requirement

Inorganic salts - are needed to synthesisize sulfur-

containing amino acids, vitamins

Cations – K, Na, Mg, Ca

Anions – PO4, SO4

Growth factors(Bacterial vitamins)

Some bacteria require certain organic compounds in

minute quantities for growth

Accessory –

e.g. thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, Vit. B12

Essential –

E.g. X and V factors for H. influenzae

• Oxygen
1. Aerobic bacteria – grow in presence of oxygen obtain
energy through aerobic respiration
Obligate aerobes grow only in the presence of oxygen
e.g. V. cholerae, P. aeruginosa
2. Microaerophiles
Grow best in the presence of low concentration of
oxygen (2% - 10%) e.g. Campylobacter
3. Obligate anaerobes

Grow only in the absence of oxygen, inhibited or killed

by presence of O2

E.g. Bacteroides, Clostridium tetani

4. Facultative anaerobes

Grow with or without oxygen,

Most pathogenic bacteria are facultative anaerobes

E.g. E. coli
Environmental factors influencing bacterial
growth
Temperature

1. Psychrophilic bacteria: optimum growth at 5 o C to

15 o C
2. Mesophilic bacteria : optimum growth at 25oC to
45oC
human pathogenic bacteria
3. Thermophilic bacteria : optimum growth at 45oC
70oC
pH
1. Neutrophiles grow best at a pH range of 5 to 8.

Most of the human pathogenic bacteria grow best at pH 7.2 +/- 0.2

2. Acidophiles grow best at a pH below 5.5.

E.g. Lactobacillus (pH 3)

3. Alkalophiles grow best at a pH above 8.5.

E.g Alkaligens faecalis, V. cholerae (pH 10.5)

Carbon dioxide

All bacteria require small amounts of CO2 for growth

Those bacteria which require higher concentration (5-

10%) are called capnophilic - e.g. Brucella abortus
Salt Concentration

Bacteria require high salt concentration are called

Halophilic bacteria – e.g. V. parahaemolyticus
Osmotic pressure

24
Probable questions
Q1: Write short notes on bacterial growth Curve

Q2: Classification of bacteria according to oxygen

requirement with examples
Thank you