BACTERIAL GROWTH, NUTRITION AND REPRODUCTION Nurses Lec 3

BACTERIAL GROWTH,
NUTRITION AND
REPRODUCTION
• Introduction
Microbial growth is defined as an increase in the
number of cells. A microbial cell has a lifespan
and a species is maintained only as a result of
continued growth of its population. Growth is the
ultimate process in the life of a cell – one cell
becoming two and subsequently leading to an
increase in the number in a population of
microorganisms. In microbiology, growth is
synonymous to reproduction
• Definition of Growth
Growth is defined as an increase in the number
of cells in a population of microorganisms. It is
an increase in cellular constituents leading to a
rise in cell number when microorganisms
reproduce by processes like binary fission or
budding.
A) Bacterial cell division
• Bacteria divided by binary fission. When bacterial cell reaches a
critical mass in its cellular constituents ,the cell division starts. This
process results in the reproduction of a living prokaryotic cell (or
organelle) by dividing into two parts that each have the potential to
grow to the size of the original cell (or organelle). This type of
division takes place without the formation of spindles in the club.
The single DNA molecule first replicates, then attaches each copy
to a different part of the cell membrane. When the cell begins to
pull apart, the replicated and original chromosomes are separated.
The consequence of this asexual method of reproduction is that all
the cells are genetically identical, meaning that they have the same
genetic material (barring random mutations).
Process of fission
• The process of reproduction in a bacterial cell occurs through

binary fission. In eukaryotic cells, asexual reproduction occurs
through the more complex process of mitosis. It involves:
1. Replication of the circular DNA molecule inside the cell.
2. Replicated DNA move to either poles of the cell.
3. The cell lengthens.
4. The equatorial plate of the cell constricts and separates the
plasma membrane so each new cell has exactly the same
genetic material.
B.The Bacterial Growth Curve
• This is a curve that describe the entire growth cycle of a

microorganisms. It is the growth of a bacteria
reproducing by binary fission, plotted as the logarithm of
the number of viable cells versus the incubation time.
• When bacteria are cultivated in liquid medium they are
usually grown in a batch culture or closed system. That
is, they are incubated in a closed culture vessel with a
single batch of medium.
• The Growth curve has four phases; the lag phase, the
exponential phase, the stationary phase and the death
phase.
• Lag Phase
• This is a phase in which there is no increase in the cell number of a microbial
population freshly introduced into a fresh culture medium. In this phase, there is no
cell division and growth. However, the cell is metabolically active synthesizing new
components.
• Lag phase before cell division begins may be necessary for these reasons:
• (i) The cell may be old and depleted of ATP, essential cofactors and ribosome which
the cell synthesizes at this phase or stage.
• (ii) The new medium may be different from the one the microorganism was growing in
previously; the cells synthesize new enzymes to be used in the new medium.
• (iii) The cells may be injured and require time to recover. The period of the lag phase
varies depending on the condition of the microorganisms and the nature of the
medium. The phase may be long, if
• (i) The inoculum is from an old culture or one that has been refrigerated.
• (ii) If the new medium is chemically different from the old one from which the
microorganism was taken. However, if a young, actively growing culture is transfer to
afresh medium of the science composition, the lag phase will be short or absent.
• Exponential Phase/log phase
• This is also known as the log phase. It is a period in which the microorganisms
are growing and dividing at the maximal rate possible given their genetic
potential, the nature of the medium and the conditions under which they are
growing. The rate of growth is constant during this phase because the
microorganisms are dividing and doubling in number at regular interval.
• It is during this period that the generation time of the organism is determined.
The log of the number of cells plotted against time results in a straight line. In
this phase, the population is most nearly uniform in terms of chemical
composition of cells, metabolic activity and other physiological characteristics
exponential phase vary among different bacterial
• The exponential growth is balanced growth this is because cellular

constituents are manufactured at constant rates relative to each other. If
nutrient level and other environmental conditions change unbalanced growth
results.
• Unbalanced growth is growth during which the
rate of synthesis of cell components vary relative
to each other until a new balanced state is reached.
This is observed in two types of experiments (1)
Shift up and
• (2) Shift down.
• The Shift Up occurs when a culture of
microorganism is transferred from a nutritionally
poor medium to a richer one while the Shift Down
occurs when a culture of microorganism is
transferred from a rich medium to a poor one
The Stationary Phase
• This is a phase in which population growth
ceases and the growth curve becomes
horizontal. In this phase, the total number of
viable microorganisms remains constant. This
may result from a balance between cell
division and cell death or the population may
simply cease to divide but remain
metabolically active. Factors responsible for
stationary phase when a required nutrient is
exhausted are:
• (i) Nutrient Limitation: If an essential nutrient has been
used up e.g. O2 or carbon source and becomes unavailable
to the microorganisms, population growth will cease.
• (ii) Accumulation of toxic waste products e.g.
Streptococci can produce too much lactic acid and other
organic acids from sugar fermentation that their medium
becomes acidic and growth is inhibited.
• (iii) When a critical population level has been reached:
This will prevent further dividing and doubling of the
cells / when physical conditions do not permit a further
increase in population size. Once the stationery growth
phase is reached, there is no further net increase in
Death Phase
• This is a phase in which the number of viable
cells begins to decline. During this phase, the
number of living cells decreases because the rate
of cell death exceeds the rate of new cell
formation. The depletion of essential nutrients
and the accumulation of laboratory products
such as acids contribute to the death rate.
FACTORS INFLUENCING BACTERIAL GROWTH
Temperature
• Temperature is the most important factor affecting the growth
and survival of microorganism. At either too cold or too hot
temperature, microorganisms will not be able to grow and
may even die. For every microorganism, there is a minimum
temperature bellow which growth is not possible, an optimum
temperature at which growth is most rapid and a maximum
temperature above which growth is not possible. These three
temperatures are called the cardinal temperature and are
characteristics for any given microorganism.
• Microorganisms can be placed in five classes based on their
temperature for growth:
• (i) Psychrophiles: These are organisms that grow well at 0ºc and have
an optimum growth temperature of 150c or lower. The maximum is
around 100c. They are readily isolated from arctic and antartic habitat ,
many psychrophiles are found in the ocean.
• (ii) Psychrotrophs or facultative psychophiles: These organisms can
grow at 0ºc to 7ºc even though they have optima between 20ºc and
30ºc.and maxima at about 35ºc These organisms are the major causes
of spoilage of refrigerated food.
• (iii) Mesophile: These are microorganism with growth optima around
20ºc to 45ºc. They often have temperature minimum of 15ºc to 20ºc.
Their maximum is about 45ºc or lower. Examples of this group of
microorganisms are the human pathogens because of their environment
• (iv) Thermophile: These microorganisms can grow at
temperature of 55ºc or higher. Their growth minimum is
usually around 45ºc and they often have optima between 55ºc
and 60ºc. Majority of thermophiles are prokaryotes although
a few photosynthetic protists and fungi are thermophile.
These organisms flourish in many habitats including
compost, heating hay stacks, hot water line and hot spring.
• (v) Hyperthermophiles: these are prokaryotes that have
growth optima between 80ºc and 113ºc. They do not grow
well below 55ºc. pyrococcus abyss, and pyrodictum are
example of marine hyperthermphile found in hot areas of the
seafloor
Oxygen Concentration
• The importance of oxygen to the growth of an organism

correlate with its metabolism especially with the
processes it uses to conserve the energy supplied by its
source. Based on the ability to grow in the presence or
absent of oxygen. Microorganisms are classified as:
• (i) Aerobes: These are organism that able to grow in the
presence of atmospheric oxygen.
• (ii) Anerobic: they grow in the absence of atmospheric
oxygen
• (iii) Facultative: these are organism that do not require oxygen for
growth but grow better in its presence.
• (iv) Aerotolerant anaerobe: are not dependent on oxygen. They
grow equal whether oxygen is present or absent e.g. Enterococus
faccalis.
• (v) Strick or obligate anaerobe: They do not tolerate oxygen at all
and due to its presence e.g. clostridium pasteurianum.
• (vi) Microaerophile: These organisms are damaged by normal
atmospheric level of oxygen (20%) and require o2 level below the
range of 2 to 10% for growth e.g. Campytobacter. A microbial
group may show more than one type of relationship to oxygen (O 2).
A type is found among the prokaryotes and protozoa. Fungi are
normally aerobic but a few species particularly among the yeasts
are facultative anaerobes. Photosynthetic protists are almost always
obligate aerobes.
pH or Acidity
• pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion activity of a solution

and is define as the negative logarithms of the hydrogen
concentration (expressed in terms of molarity).
• Ph = -log(H+) = log(1/(H+))
• The PH scale extend from ph 0.0 to ph 14 and each pH
unit represent a tenfold change in hydrogen ion
concentration. Based on pH growth range and pH growth
optimum we have the following group of organisms
(i) Acidophiles: they have their growth optimum
between ph 0 and 5.5
(ii) Neutrophiles: growth optimum between 5.5 and 8.0
(iii) Alkalophiles: growth optimum between 8.0 and
11.5
• Extreme alkalophile have growth optima at pH 10 or
higher. In general, different microbe groups have
characteristics pH preference. Most bacteria and
protists are neurophiles. Most fungi are acidophile
(ph between 4 to 6). Photosynthetic protist also
favor slight acidity. Many archaea are acidophile

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BACTERIAL GROWTH, NUTRITION AND REPRODUCTION Nurses Lec 3

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BACTERIAL GROWTH,

• The process of reproduction in a bacterial cell occurs through

• This is a curve that describe the entire growth cycle of a

• The exponential growth is balanced growth this is because cellular

• The importance of oxygen to the growth of an organism

• pH is a measure of the hydrogen ion activity of a solution

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