Question

How do bacteria grow and develop?

Answer 1

Growth of bacteria:

1. Bacteria are prokaryotic unicellular organisms found in different habitats.
2. Bacteria grow and reproduces via binary fission, which involves the process of the parent organism growing and dividing into doubles into a new individual.
3. The parent cell also shares identical DNA with the daughter cell after the elongation process.
4. They consume nutrition and develop to reproduce.
5. Under favorable conditions, the bacteria consumes and grows to develop into a new individual.
6. The optimum conditions comprise optimum temperature, adequate nutrition, and moisture for doubling.
7. The growth of bacteria happens across various stages.

Four stages of bacterial growth:

A. Lag phase:

1. It is the phase where the bacterial cell prepares for the reproduction process.
2. It grows and adapts to the conditions.
3. The synthesis of RNA and required enzymes occur.

B. Log phase:

1. Log phase is the phase where most of the reproduction and growth occurs.
2. It is the phase where the bacterial cell starts to double exponentially.
3. It is the logarithmic increase in the growth rate.
4. The doubling of bacteria is approximately 20-60 minutes.

C. Stationary phase:

1. It is the phase where the bacteria population stops dividing and growing.
2. The rate of growth becomes equal to the death rate.
3. The nutrient in the solution starts to deplete.

D. Death phase:

1. The death phase is the phase where all the nutrients have been consumed.
2. The bacteria start to die.
3. The death rate is more than the growth rate.

A growth curve of bacteria can be plotted using the logarithms of viable cells against the factor of time, this general curve is known as the bacterial growth curve or the growth cycle of bacteria.