ENVIRONMENT FACTORS

AFFECTING GROWTH OF
MICROORGANISMS
Mdm Aslizah Mohd Aris
Faculty of Applied Sciences, UiTM

The Requirements for Growth

At the end of this lecture, students are able to:
Classify microbes into five groups on the basis
of preferred temperature range.
Identify how and why the pH of culture media is
controlled.
Explain how microbes are classified on the
basis of oxygen requirements.
Explain the importance of osmotic pressure and
water availability to microbial growth.

Microbial Growth
Increase

in number of cells, not cell size

Populations
Colonies

The Requirements for Growth

Physical

requirements

Temperature
pH
Osmotic pressure (Water availability)
Oxygen requirement

Chemical

requirements

Carbon
Nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous
Trace elements
Organic growth factor

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT
TEMPERATURE

Physical Requirements
TEMPERATURE:
Minimum growth temperature:
Lowest temperature that permits a microbes growth and metabolism
Growth no longer occurs
Maximum growth temperature
Highest temperature that permits a microbes growth and metabolism
Growth not possible
Optimum growth temperature
Promotes the fastest rate of growth and metabolism
Growth is most rapid

Typical Growth Rates and Temperature

1.

2.

3.

4.

Psychrophiles optimum temperature below

20oC; capable of growth at 0oC
Psychrotrophs - Grow between 0C and 20
30C,cause food spoilage
Mesophiles optimum temperature 20o-40oC;
most human pathogens
Thermophiles optimum temperature greater
than 40oC

Food Preservation
Temperatures

Figure 6.2

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT
pH

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pH
Majority

of microorganisms grow at a pH
between 6 and 8
Most bacteria grow between pH 6.5 and 7.5
Molds and yeasts grow between pH 5 and 6
Acidophiles grow in acidic environments
Obligate acidophiles grow at extreme acid
pH
Alkalinophiles grow at extreme alkaline pH

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT
OXYGEN/ CO2

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Oxygen Tolerance
Aerotolerant

do not use O2 but can grow

when it is present

Often ferment glucose to lactic acid

Microaerophiles

require O2 but grow only in

concentrations lower than air

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Categories of Oxygen
Requirement
Aerobe

utilizes oxygen and can detoxify it

Obligate aerobe - cannot grow without oxygen
Facultative aerobe- can live in the presence of
oxygen, but does not require it.
Facultative anaerobe does not utilizes
oxygen but can also grow in its presence
Microaerophilic requires only a small amount
of oxygen
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Categories of Oxygen
Requirement cont..
Anaerobe

does not utilize oxygen

Obligate anaerobe - lacks the enzymes to
detoxify oxygen so cannot survive in an oxygen
environment
Aerotolerant anaerobes do no utilize oxygen
but can survive and grow in its presence in low
concentration

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The Effect of Oxygen (O2) on

Growth

Table 6.1

Classify the Growth in

each tube:

Facultative anaerobe
Microaerophile
Obligate aerobe
Obligate anaerobe

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Classify the Growth in each

tube:

Facultative anaerobe(s)
Microaerophile
Obligate aerobe
Obligate anaerobe

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Carbon Dioxide Requirement

All microbes require some carbon dioxide in
their metabolism.
Capnophile grows best at higher CO2
tensions than normally present in the
atmosphere

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PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT
OSMOTIC PRESSURE DUE TO
WATER AVAILABILITY

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Osmotic Pressure

Bacteria 80-90% water

High salt in surrounding environment leads to water loss
and plasmolysis
Cells plasma membrane shrinks, cell growth inhibited
Hypertonic environments, or an increase in salt or sugar,
cause plasmolysis

Plasmolysis

Figure 6.4

Water availability
Most microbes exist under hypotonic or isotonic
conditions
Halophiles require a high concentration of salt
Extreme or obligate halophiles require high
osmotic pressure
Facultative halophiles tolerate high osmotic
pressure
Osmotolerant do not require high concentration
of solute but can tolerate it when it occurs

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Drying and High Osmolarity

Salted

fish, honey, sweetened condensed

milk are preserved by pulling water out of
bacteria
Hypotonic medium (low osmolarity) may lyse
bacteria without cell walls

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CHEMICAL
REQUIREMENT

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Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lecture, students are able to:
Name a use for each of the four elements
(carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus)
needed in large amounts for microbial
growth.

Nutritional Types of
Microorganisms
Carbon Source:
Autotrophs use carbon dioxide as their sole or principal carbon
source
Heterotrophs
use reduced, preformed organic molecules
(usually from other organisms) as carbon sources.
Energy Source:
Phototrophs use light as their energy source
Chemotrophs obtain energy from the oxidation of organic or
inorganic compounds.

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Macronutrient
Required

by microorganisms in large
amounts; constitute 95% of cell dry weight
Prime role in metabolism and growth
- C, O, H, N, S, P
are components of
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins & nucleic
acids.
K, Ca, Mg, Fe exist in the cell as cations and
play a variety of roles; e.g. K+ is required for
activity of many enzymes including some
involved in protein synthesis.

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Chemical Requirements
Carbon

Structural organic molecules, energy source

Nitrogen

In amino acids and proteins

Most bacteria decompose proteins
Some bacteria use NH4+ or NO3

A few bacteria use N2 in nitrogen fixation

Chemical Requirements
Sulfur

In amino acids, thiamine, and biotin

Most bacteria decompose proteins
Some bacteria use SO42 or H2S

Phosphorus

In DNA, RNA, ATP, and membranes

PO43 is a source of phosphorus

Other macronutrients
Potassium - required for enzymes especially those
involved in protein synthesis
Magnesium - stabilises ribosomes, cell membranes &
nucleic acids; also required for the activity of many
enzymes
Calcium - not essential for the growth of many
organisms but helps stabilise the bacterial cell wall &
plays a key role in the heat stability of endospores
Sodium - not required by all organisms; need often
reflects the natural habitat of the organism
Example: marine organisms require sodium, fresh
water organisms do not
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Micronutrients (trace elements)

Trace

elements

Inorganic elements required in small amounts

Usually as enzyme cofactors

Examples:

Cobalt
Manganese
Molybdenum
Nickel
Selenium
Zinc

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Organic Growth Factors

Organic

compounds obtained from the

environment
Vitamins, amino acids, purines, and
pyrimidines

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