Bacterial Growth Curve: 1. Lag Phase

Bacterial Growth Curve
1.
Lag phase
When a microorganism is introduced into the fresh medium, it takes some

time to adjust with the new environment. This phase is termed as Lag phase,
in which cellular metabolism is accelerated, cells are increasing in size, but
the bacteria are not able to replicate and therefore no increase in cell mass.
The length of the lag phase depends directly on the previous growth
condition of the organism. When the microorganism growing in a rich
medium is inoculated into nutritionally poor medium, the organism will take
more time to adapt with the new environment. The organism will start
synthesizing the necessary proteins, co-enzymes and vitamins needed for
their growth and hence there will be a subsequent increase in the lag phase.
Similarly when an organism from a nutritionally poor medium is added to a
nutritionally rich medium, the organism can easily adapt to the environment,
it can start the cell division without any delay, and therefore will have less
lag phase it may be absent.
2.
Exponential or Logarithmic (log) phase
During this phase, the microorganisms are in a rapidly growing and

dividing state. Their metabolic activity increases and the organism begin the
DNA replication by binary fission at a constant rate. The growth medium is
exploited at the maximal rate, the culture reaches the maximum growth rate
and the number of bacteria increases logarithmically (exponentially) and
finally the single cell divide into two, which replicate into four, eight, sixteen,
thirty two and so on (That is 2 0, 21, 22, 23.........2n, n is the number of
generations) This will result in a balanced growth. The time taken by the
bacteria to double in number during a specified time period is known as the
generation time. The generation time tends to vary with different

organisms. E.coli divides in every 20 minutes, hence its generation time is 20
minutes, and for Staphylococcus aureus it is 30 minutes.
3.
Stationary phase
As the bacterial population continues to grow, all the nutrients in the

growth medium are used up by the microorganism for their rapid
multiplication. This result in the accumulation of waste materials, toxic
metabolites and inhibitory compounds such as antibiotics in the medium.
This shifts the conditions of the medium such as pH and temperature,
thereby creating an unfavorable environment for the bacterial growth. The
reproduction rate will slow down, the cells undergoing division is equal to the
number of cell death, and finally bacterium stops its division completely. The
cell number is not increased and thus the growth rate is stabilized. If a cell
taken from the stationary phase is introduced into a fresh medium, the cell
can easily move on the exponential phase and is able to perform its
metabolic activities as usual.
4.
Decline or Death phase
The depletion of nutrients and the subsequent accumulation of metabolic

waste products and other toxic materials in the media will facilitates the
bacterium to move on to the Death phase. During this, the bacterium
completely loses its ability to reproduce. Individual bacteria begin to die due
to the unfavorable conditions and the death is rapid and at uniform rate. The
number of dead cells exceeds the number of live cells. Some organisms
which can resist this condition can survive in the environment by producing
endospores.
Bacteria Requirements for Growth
1.
Water -- Bacteria need water to dissolve the food they use for energy
and growth. Water allows the food to get into the cells, is used for the many
chemical reactions necessary for life and growth, and allows waste products
to escape.
2.
Food/Nutrients -- All bacteria require energy to live and grow. Energy

sources such as sugars, starch, protein, fats and other compounds provide
the nutrients.
3.
Oxygen -- Some bacteria require oxygen to grow (aerobes) while

others can grow only in the absence of oxygen (anaerobes). However, many
bacteria grow under either condition and they are facultative anaerobes.
4.
Temperature -- Bacteria in general are capable of growing over a

wide range of temperatures and are usually classified according to the
temperature at which they grow. Psychotropic bacteria are those that are
capable of growing at 32F - 45F but their optimum is from 68F to 86F.
They cause spoilage in foods stored under refrigeration. Several pathogenic
bacteria are psychotropic -- Yersinia and Listeria. Most bacteria are capable
of growing at 60F - 110F and belong in this group. Most pathogenic
bacteria grow at these temperatures. These microorganisms grow at higher
temperatures such as 110F - 150F. Temperature is the most widely used

method of controlling bacterial growth. Bacteria grow slowly at temperatures
below 45F and thermal destruction occurs at temperatures above 140F. But
in the temperature danger zone -- between 40F and 140F -- many bacteria
are not controlled.
5.
pH -- pH is a measure of acid or alkali in a product. It is indicated on a

scale from 0 to 14, with seven being neutral. If the pH value is below 7, the
food is classified as acid; if it is above 7, the food is classified as alkaline.
Most bacteria grow well at neutral pH, but many can reproduce in a pH range
from 4.5 - 10.0.
Prepared by: Verlyn C. Cambalo

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Bacterial Growth Curve

When a microorganism is introduced into the fresh medium, it takes some

Exponential or Logarithmic (log) phase

During this phase, the microorganisms are in a rapidly growing and

generation time. The generation time tends to vary with different

As the bacterial population continues to grow, all the nutrients in the

Decline or Death phase

The depletion of nutrients and the subsequent accumulation of metabolic

Food/Nutrients -- All bacteria require energy to live and grow. Energy

Oxygen -- Some bacteria require oxygen to grow (aerobes) while

Temperature -- Bacteria in general are capable of growing over a

temperatures such as 110F - 150F. Temperature is the most widely used

pH -- pH is a measure of acid or alkali in a product. It is indicated on a

Prepared by: Verlyn C. Cambalo

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