DIFFERENT NUTRIENTS NEEDED BY MICROBES FOR GROWTH & REPRODUCTION
Two categories of essential nutrients are:
1. MACRONUTRIENTS- required in large quantities & play principal roles in cell structure &
metabolism such as carbon, hydrogen & oxygen.
2. MICRONUTRIENTS- needed in such smaller amounts & are involved in enzyme function &
maintenance of protein structure such as manganese, zinc, & nickel.
The source of nutrients is extremely varied: some microbes obtain their nutrients entirely from inorganic
sources, & others require a combination of organic & inorganic sources
1. INORGANIC NUTRIENTS- contains a combination of atoms other than carbon & hydrogen.
Microbes sources inorganic nutrients:
1. Metals & salts (magnesium sulfate, ferric nitrate, sodium phosphate)
2. Gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide)
3. Water
2. ORGANIC NUTRIENTS- contains carbon & hydrogen atoms & are usually products of living things.
Micorbes sources of organic nutreints:
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic Acids
Although the chemical form of nutrients varies widely, all microbes require six elements in order to
survive, grow, and reproduce. The six essential elements are the following:
1. Carbon
2. Hydrogen
3. Oxygen
4. Nitrogen
5. Phosphorus
6. Sulfur
OTHER NUTRIENTS IMPORTANT IN MICROBIAL GROWTH & REPRODUCTION
1. POTASSIUM- for protein synthesis & membrane function.
2. SODIUM- for cell transport.
3. CALCIUM- sabilizer of the cell wall & endospores of bacteria.
4. MAGNESIUM- component of chlorophyll & a stabilizer of membranes & ribosomes.
5. IRON- component of cytochrome proteins of cell respiration.
6. ZINC- regulatory element for eukaryotic genetics, binding factor for enzymes to adhere to
specific sites of DNA.
7. COPPER, COBALT NICKEL, MOLYBDENUM, MANGANESE, SILICON, IODINE, & BORON- needed in
small amounts by some microbes but not others.