Chapter 6

Microbial
Nutrition and
Growth
Growth Requirements

Microbial growth
Increase in a population of microbes
Result of microbial growth is discrete colony
An aggregation of cells arising from single parent
cell
Reproduction results in growth

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Growth Requirements

Organisms use a variety of nutrients for

their energy needs and to build organic
molecules and cellular structures
Most common nutrients contain
necessary elements such as carbon,
oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen
Microbes obtain nutrients from variety of
sources

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Growth Requirements

Associations
Organisms live in association with different species
Antagonistic relationships
Synergistic relationships
Symbiotic relationships

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Growth Requirements

Biofilms
Complex relationships among numerous
microorganisms
Develop an extracellular matrix
Adheres cells to one another
Allows attachment to a substrate
Sequesters nutrients
May protect individuals in the biofilm
Form on surfaces often as a result of quorum
sensing
Many microorganisms more harmful as part of a
biofilm
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Figure 6.17 Binary fission events-overview

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Growth of Microbial Populations

ANIMATION Binary Fission

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Figure 6.18 Comparison of arithmetic and logarithmic growth-overview

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Growth of Microbial Populations

Generation Time
Time required for a bacterial cell to grow
and divide
Dependent on chemical and physical
conditions

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Figure 6.19 Two growth curves of logarithmic growth-overview

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Figure 6.20 Typical microbial growth curve

Stationary phase
Number of live cells (log)

Death
(decline)
Log phase
(exponential)
phase

Lag phase

Time

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Figure 6.21 Schematic of chemostat
Fresh medium with
a limiting amount Flow-rate
of a nutrient regulator

Sterile air
of other
gas
Culture
vessel

Culture Overflow
tube

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Growth of Microbial Populations

Measuring Microbial Reproduction

Direct methods
Serial dilution and viable plate counts
Membrane filtration
Most probable number
Microscopic counts
Electronic counters

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Figure 6.22 Estimating microbial population size-overview

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Figure 6.23 Use of membrane filtration to estimate microbial population-overview

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Figure 6.24 The most probable number (MPN) method for estimating microbial numbers

1.0 ml 1.0 ml

Undiluted 1:10 1:100

Inoculate 1.0 ml into

each of 5 tubes

Phenol red, pH
color indicator,
added

Incubate

Results

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Figure 6.25 The use of a cell counter for estimating microbial numbers-overview

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Growth of Microbial Populations

Measuring Microbial Growth

Indirect methods
Metabolic activity
Dry weight
Turbidity

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Figure 6.26 Spectrophotometry-overview

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Growth of Microbial Populations

Measuring Microbial Reproduction

Genetic methods
Isolate DNA sequences of unculturable
prokaryotes
Used to estimate the number of these
microbes

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Case StudyCan a trip to the dentist be life threatening?

Details of the case

Why do we get our teeth cleaned?
Why does Betty feel so bad?
What has happened?
Will the biofilm return?
How did they figure out Betty had septicemia?

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