Growth and
Metabolism
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Growth “reproduction”: increase in number which results from
a programmed increase in all cell constituents.
Bacterial reproduction “binary fission”
1-Each cell ↑ in size & divides into 2 cells.
2-The single DNA molecule replicates into 2 copies.
3-Both copies attach to the cell membrane at the mesosome.
4-The cell membrane “cross walls” grows between the 2 DNA
molecules.
5-The cell doubles the rest of its contents.
6-Cell wall divides the original cell into 2 identical daughter cells.
Bacterial metabolism
Metabolism: sum of all biochemical reactions occurring in the cell.
1. catabolism “energy generation”
2. Anabolism “energy consuming & biosynthetic”
Importance of studying metabolism:
Difference in metabolic reactions between bacteria help to differentiate
them and to study the appropriate conditions needed to cultivate each in the
laboratory.
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Cells produce energy from sugars or other reduced compounds using
either:
1. Respiration:
Transfer of electrons from a reduced compound
as glucose to:
an oxidized molecule (oxygen) (Aerobic respiration)
Or:
others like nitrate & sulfur (Anaerobic respiration).
2. Fermentation
Transfer of electrons from a reduced organic compound (glucose) to an
oxidized organic compound (Lactic acid).
Bacterial growth
Grow by exponential growth (Logarithmic growth) in which the numbers of a
species double each generation.
Generation or doubling time:
Definition : The time taken for a bacterial population to double in
number.
Best calculated when the conditions for bacterial growth are optimum.
1. 20 minute in E.Coli.
2. 24 hours in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.
Bacterial growth curve
A graphic representation of bacterial growth pattern when bacteria are
grown in a new medium.
When the medium is inoculated with a given number of cells → number is
counted over a period of time.
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Data is plotted in a graph with 4 phases:
1- Lag phase:
Event: adaptation to the medium takes place.
Number: vigorous metabolic activity occurs but no cells division “zero”.
In natural infection → Incubation period.
2- Exponential “Log” phase:
Number:
↑ in number at a rate dependent on species characters & number &
composition.
Importance:
a) generation time is calculated in this stage
b) cells are more susceptible to antibiotics.
In natural infection → Acute Phase of the disease.
3- Stationary phase:
Event: growth is limited by exhaustion of nutrients or accumulation of
inhibitory metabolites or end products.
Number: no net increase in cell number.
In natural infection → Symptoms and signs are still present.
4- Death Phase:
rapid death of cells “unless transferred to fresh medium”
In natural infection → Convalescence phase which ends with complete
cure.
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Environmental factors affecting growth
A suitable growth media must contain all the nutrients & factors required by
that organism to be cultivated as oxygen, temperature, PH.
1-Nutrients
Every organism must find in its environment all the substances required
for energy generation & cellular biosynthesis.
The chemicals & elements of this environment utilized for bacterial
growth are referred to as nutritional requirements.
Nutritional groups of bacteria
1-Autotrophic bacteria “self feeders”
Definition: bacteria able to form their own organic food & can synthesize
organic compounds (sugars, proteins) from inorganic compounds (carbon
dioxide, ammonium salts).
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2-Heterotrophic bacteria (feeding on others)
Definition: bacteria which are unable to manufacture their own organic
food required for growth so are dependent on external source.
Requirements: organic sources of carbon as sugars, fats, amino acids.
“They use performed organic compounds made by other livings”
Energy : from organic compounds.
Example → medically important bacteria are heterotrophic.
Growth Factors
Definition: a specific organic compounds that is required in a very small
amount by an organism as it cannot be synthesized.
Example →
1. Purines & Pyrmidines “for synthesis of DNA & RNA”
2. Vitamins & aminoacids “for synthesis of proteins”
Fastidious organism: is that needs complex nutritional requirements & many
growth factors.
2-Oxygen
Use of oxygen generates 2 toxic molecules :
1. Hydrogen peroxide.
2. the free radical superoxide.
require some enzymes to utilize oxygen as :
1. catalase.
2. superoxide dismutase.
3. cytochrome-C oxidase.
Presence or absence of these enzymes determines the ability of bacteria to
tolerate oxygen.
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Category Oxygen requirement Example
1.Obligate Aerobe Require oxygen. M. tuberculosis
Oxygen is not toxic. Neisseria
Nocardia
Pseudomonas
species
2.Microaerophilic Require oxygen at low levels. Helicobacter Pylori
Atmospheric levels of oxygen
are toxic to it.
3.Facultative Uses oxygen preferentially Most pathogenic
anaerobe when oxygen is present. bacteria of medical
Can grow without oxygen importance (E.Coli &
(slower that with oxygen) Staphylococcus
Oxygen is not toxic to it. aureus)
4.Obligate Does not use oxygen. Bacteroides
anaerobe Oxygen is toxic to it. Actinomycetes
Clostridium tetani
5.Aerotolerant Does not use oxygen Some clostridium
Oxygen is not toxic to it. species
3-PH
Many pathogenic bacteria grow best at neutral PH of 6-8.
Acidophilic “PH 4” grow in acidic condition (lactobacillus).
Alkalophilic “PH 9” grow in alkaline condition (vibrio cholera).
4-Temperature
Mesophilic : most medically important bacteria
grow at 30 C to 37 C.
Psychrophilic: bacteria that need lower ranges
of temperature.
Thermophilic: bacteria that need higher ranges of temperature.
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5-Moisture
Water is a major component of the bacterial cell wall.
It is absolutely necessary for growth & high water content in essential
for any media.
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Bacteriophage
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Viruses which infect bacteria as obligate intracellular
parasites.
Nucleic acid → Only one type either DNA or RNA.
Have no enzymes for energy supply.
Unable to synthesize proteins on their own.
Composition
Proteins “Head, Tail & other elements" + Nucleic acid.
1-Head :
consist of protein coat (Capsid).
protect phage genome.
2-Tail:
A hallow core through which the DNA is injected into the host cell.
Tail fibers recognizes specific receptors on the bacterial cell surface.
3-Nucleic acid “Genome”
Genome “bears structural genes for structural proteins & for enzymes”.
DNA “in most phages” Or RNA “Less common”.
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Reproduction
1-Adsorption :
Attachment to bacterial surface by specific interactions between a phage
protein and the end of the tail and a bacterial receptor.
More than 1 virus “of the same type” can simultaneously adsorb to a single
bacteria.
2-Penetration “injection of genome”
a-Enzymatic penetration of the wall by the tail tube tip.
b-injection of the nucleic acid through the tail tube
3-Reproduction: Either
a-Lytic “Direct intracellular reproduction”
1. Synthesis of early proteins “0-2 minutes after injection”
Ex → Phage-specific replicase that initiates replication of the phage
genome.
2. Transcription of late genes coding for structural proteins “head +
tail”.
3. Assembly in a maturation process at the end of the cycle.
b-Lysogenic
1. Phage DNA is integrated into bacterial chromosome “Prophage”.
2. Replicate together with it in the process of binary fission.
3. Prophage is activated then excised from bacterial DNA.
4. Continue as lytic cycle.
4. Release:
After lysis of the host cell by murein hydrolase “coded by a phage gene” →
destroys the cell wall.
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Importance of bacteriophage
1. Biological research: used as models in studies of biological
processes “DNA replication, gene expression, gene regulation”.
2- Genetic engineering as vectors for gene cloning.
3- Therapy and prevention of bacterial infection:
4- Epidemiological bacterial typing “Phage Typing”
Definition: identification of unknown bacterial type by known
phage type.
Aim:
A. classification of strains of a bacterial species into phagovars
based on their sensitivity to typing bacteriophages.
B. follow up the chain of infection and identify the infection
sources.
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