BACTERIAL GROWTH

BACTERIAL
GROWTH
REQUIREMENTS
Presentors:
Atun, Roanne Ashley C.
01
Lausingco, Fiona Faye N.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Learning
Objectives:
1. Define Microbial Growth.

2. Discuss the various nutritional and

physical requirements.

3. Illustrates the bacterial growth curve

with explanation of the events
occurring in each phase of the bacterial
growth curve.
25
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Growth
involves an orderly and organized increased in
the sum of all components of the organism.

Microbial Growth
is concerned with the increase in the number of
cells and not increase in the size of organism.

Bacterial Colony
is composed of thousands of cells; hence,
colonies in culture are actually composed of
13
billions of cells.
BACTERIAL GROWTH

Nutritional
Requirements
In order to grow, bacteria also needs Nutritional
requirements. This includes Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulfur,
Phosphorus, Inorganic Ions, and Growth factors.

It's important to know and understand

the relevance and effects of this
requirements.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

CARBON
-It makes up the structural backbone or
skeleton of all organic molecules.

-Based on their carbon source,

microorganisms may be classified into
Autotrophs (lithotrophs) and
Heterotrophs (organotrophs).
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Autotrophs (lithotrophs)
are microorganisms that utilize inorganic compounds (e.g., carbon dioxide)
and inorganic salts as their sole carbon source.

Heterotrophs (organotrophs)
are organisms that make use of organic substances like sugars or glucose
as their carbon source.

For both autotrophs and heterotrophs, their energy may be derived from
either light (photolithotrophs and photo organotrophs) or the oxidation of
inorganic substances (chemolithotrophs and chemo organotrophs).

Most medically important bacteria are chemo organotrophs.

 BACTERIAL GROWTH

NITROGEN,SULFUR,
PHOSPHORUS
- These are necessary for the synthesis of
cellular materials like proteins and nucleic
acid. Nitrogen and sulfur are required for
the synthesis of proteins. Nitrogen and
phosphorus are essential for the synthesis
of nucleic acids and ATP. Approximately
14% of the dry weight of a bacterial cell is
nitrogen and about 4% is sulfur and
phosphate.
BACTERIAL GROWTH

INORGANIC
IONS
Inorganic ions are atoms with unshared
electrons in their outer shell and are thus
charges species. They carry either a
positive or a negative charge.

Magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron,

and trace elements (e.g., manganese,
zinc, copper, cobalt).
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Magnesium
- stabilizes ribosomes, cell membranes,
and nucleic acids. It also serves as a
co-factor in the activity of many
enzymes.

Potassium
- is required for the normal functioning
and integrity of ribosomes and
participates in certain enzymatic
activities of the cell.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Calcium
- It is an important component of gram-
positive bacterial cell wall and contributes
to the resistance of bacterial endospores
against adverse environmental
conditions.

Iron
- It is a component of cytochrome, a
component of the electron transport
chain and functions as a co-factor for
enzymatic activities.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Trace Elements

- are components of enzymes and

functions as co-factors. Some are
necessary for the maintenance of protein
structure.
BACTERIAL GROWTH

GROWTH FACTORS
These are essential to promote the growth and development of the
bacterial cell. These include vitamin B complex and amino acids.
BACTERIAL GROWTH

Physical
Requirements
Bacteria's have a variety of physical requirements
for growth. These includes the following: moisture
or water, oxygen, temperature, pH and osmotic
conditions.

It is also important to know and

understand the relevance and effects
of this requirements.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Moisture/Water
The bacterial cell is composed mainly of 80 to 90%
water. It serves as the medium from which bacteria
uses the water to acquire their nutrients and remove
unwanted waste products.

Water Activity
The water activity scale runs from 0 to 1.0
The lower the water activity, the less water is available in
a form that can be used by bacteria
Freezing, drying, or salting are ways to reduce available
water to bacteria, and slow down their growth

I. Pure Water
The water activity of pure water is 1.0
Thus the water activity of all foods falls below this number
BACTERIAL GROWTH

II. Meat, Poultry, Selected Seafood and

Dairy Products

Moisture/
The water activity of these products are 0.95 to 0.99
Unfortunately, this is the optimum range for many of
the spoilage and disease-causing bacteria

Water III. Fresh Seafood Products

The water activity of most fresh seafood products is

above 0.98
The perfect water activity for bacterial growth

IV. Pathogenic Bacteria

This does not grow well or produce toxin below 0.85

It mostly require 0.92 or above
BACTERIAL GROWTH

Oxygen
Oxygen is used by aerobic bacteria for cellular
respiration and serve as the final electron acceptor.
Organisms that use molecular oxygen, produce
more energy nutrients than anaerobes.

I. Obligate Aerobes
Require oxygen to live
Disadvantage: Oxygen dissolves poorly in water
II. Facultative Anaerobes
Can use oxygen but can grow in its absence
Have complex set of enzymes
III. Obligate Anaerobes
Cannot use oxygen and are harmed by the presence of
toxic forms of oxygen
IV. Aerotolerant Anaerobes
Cannot use oxygen but tolerate its presence
Can break down toxic forms of oxygen
V. Microaerophiles
Require oxygen but at low concentrations
Sensitive to toxic forms of oxygen
VI. Capnophiles
Require the addition of carbon dioxide to enhance growth
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

CATALASE STRUCTURE
Toxic Forms
of Oxygen
I. Singlet Oxygen
Extremely reactive form of oxygen
Present in phagocytic cells
II. Superoxide Free Radicals
Extremely toxic and reactive form of oxygen
All organisms growing in atmospheric oxygen must
produce an enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD) to
get rid of them
(SOD) is made by aerobes, facultative anaerobes and
aerotolerant anaerobes
PEROXIDASE STRUCTURE
O2 + O2 +2H ---> H2O2 + O2
III. Hydrogen Peroxide
Peroxide ion is toxic

The two different enzymes that breaks down

hydrogen peroxide:
1. Catalase
Breaks hydrogen peroxide into water and O2
Produced by humans as well as many bacteria
2 H2O2 ---> 2H2O + O2
2. Peroxidase
Converts hydrogen peroxide into water
H2O2 + 2H ---> H2O
 I. Thermophiles: "Heat Loving"
BACTERIAL GROWTH
Optimum growth between 50 to 60 °C
Many cannot grow below 45°C
Live in sunlit soil, compost piles, hot springs

Temperature
Some form extremely heat resistant endospores
A. Extreme Thermophiles: "Hyperthermophiles"
Optimum growth at 80°C or higher
Live in volcanic and ocean events

Enhanced enzyme activity requires certain

temperatures. II. Mesophiles - "Middle Loving"

Best growth between 20 to 40°C

Optimum temperature commonly 37°C
Live in bodies of animals
Include most pathogens and common spoilage organisms

III. Psychrophiles - "Cold Loving"

Can grow at 0°C

A. True Psychrophiles
Sensitive to temperatures over 20°C
Optimum growth at 15°C or below
Found in very cold environments
Seldom cause disease or food spoilage
B. Psychrotrophs
Optimum growth at 20 to 30°C
Responsible for low temperature food spoilage
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Growth Rates of
Bacterial Groups
at Different
Temperatures
BACTERIAL GROWTH

I. Acidophiles - "Acid Loving"

pH Condition Grow at very low pH (0.1 to 5.4)

Lactobacillus tolerates mild acidity

Alkalinity & Acidity inhibits microbial growth

Buffers can be used to stabilize pH
II. Neutrophiles
Most bacteria prefer neutral pH (6.5 to 7.5)
Molds and Yeasts grow in wider pH range Grow best at pH (6.5 to 7.5)
Includes most human pathogens

III. Alkaliphiles - "Alkali Loving"

Grow at high pH (7 to 12 or higher)

Vibrio cholerae and Alkali genes faecalis
optimal pH (9)
Agrobacterium grows at pH (12)
BACTERIAL GROWTH

Osmotic
Conditions
Most organisms grow best under ideal
conditions of osmotic pressure, which is
determined by the salt concentration.
The normal microbial cytoplasmic salt
concentration is approximately 1%.
BACTERIAL GROWTH

Osmotic
Conditions
I. Hypertonic Solutions
High osmotic pressure removes water from cell,
causing shrinkage of cell membrane (plasmolysis)
Used to control spoilage and microbial growth
II. Hypotonic Solutions
Low osmotic pressure causes water to enter the cell
In most cases, cell wall prevents excessive entry of
water; Microbe may lyse or burst if cell wall is weak
A. Halophiles
Require moderate to large salt concentrations
B. Extreme or Obligate Halophiles
Require very high salt concentrations
C. Facultative Halophiles
Do not require high salt concentrations
Tolerates 2% salt or more
D. Osmophiles
Require high osmotic pressure
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

BACTERIAL GROWTH CURVE

illustrates the phases in the growth population of

bacteria when they are grown in a culture of fixed
volume. It reflects the different stages in the growth of
the organism and is divided into 4 phases: lag phase, log
phase, stationary phase, and death or decline phase.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

BACTERIAL GROWTH CURVE

 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Log / Logarithmic /
Lag Phase
Exponential Phase

This is the period of adjustment for the bacteria in This phase is characterized by rapid cell division,
the new environment. During this phase, there is no resulting in an increase in the number of bacteria.
appreciable increase in the number of The organism exhibits high metabolic activity.
microorganisms. This is the period when the generation time or
The organisms will show increased metabolic doubling time of the organism (i.e., the
activity in order to synthesize DNA as we secrete time required for the bacterial cells double in
enzymes which might not be present in their new number) is determined.
environment, but which are needed by the A generation time of 10 minutes means that the
organisms bacteria will double in number
Bacteria attain their maximum size toward every 10 minutes showing exponential growth.
the end of the lag phase. This phase may last for 1 The average duration of this phase is about 8
to 4 hours hours.
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

Death or Decline
Stationary Phase
Phase

This is considered as the period of equilibrium since This is the period of rapid cell death and
the population size begins to stabilize population size begins to decrease
Number of cells produced = Number of cells dying Number of cells dying > Number of cells produced
Overall cell number does not increase Cell number decreases at a logarithmic rate
Cell division begins to slow down Cells lose their ability to divide
Factors that slow down microbial growth: Few cells may remain alive for a long period of
1. Accumulation of toxic waste materials time
2. Acidic pH of media
3. Limited nutrients
4. Insufficient oxygen supply
 BACTERIAL GROWTH

REFERENCES
Microbiology and Parasitology
Chap06Growth.pdf
2nd Edition Book
Pages 1 to 9
Pages 41 to 46

seafoodhaccp.cornell.edu
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