Abstract
The growth patterns ofMycobacterium smegmatis SN2 in a minimal medium and in nutrient broth have been compared. The growth was monitored by absorbancy (Klett readings), colony forming units, wet weight and content of DNA, RNA and protein. During the early part of the growth cycle, the bacteria had higher wet weight and macromolecular content in nutrient broth than in minimal media. During the latter half of the growth cycle however, biosynthesis stopped much earlier in nutrient broth and the bacteria had a much lower content of macromolecules than in the minimal medium. In both the media, a general pattern of completing biosynthesis rapidly in the initial phase and a certain amount of cell division at a later time involving the distribution of preformed macromolecules was seen. The possible adaptive significance of this observation has been discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barksdale, L. and Kim, K. S. (1977)Bacterial. Revs.,41, 217.
Bradley, S. G. (1972)Am. Rev. Resp. Dis.,106, 122.
Bradley, S. G. (1973)J. Bacteriol. 113, 645.
Burton, K. (1956)Biochem. J.,62, 315.
Ceriotti, G. (1955)J. Bio. Chem.,214, 59.
Doelle, H. W. (1969)Bacterial metabolism, Academic Press, New York and London.
Gadagkar, R. R. (1979)Physiological and Biochemical Studies on Mycobacteriophage 13, Ph. D. Thesis, Indian Institute of Science.
Landwall, P. and T. Holme, (1977)J. Gen. Microbiol,103, 345.
Lark, K. G. (1966)Bacteriol. Revs.,30, 3.
Lowry, O. G., N. J. Rosebrough, A. L. Farr, and R. J. Randall (1951)J. Biol. Chem.,193, 265.
Nierlich, D. P. (1979)Ann. Rev Microbiol.,32, 393.
Odum, E. P. (1973)Fundamentals of Ecology, W. B. Saunders and Company, Philadelphia.
Ognisky, E. L. and Umbreit, W. L. (1959)An Introduction to bacterial physiology, W. H. Freeman and Company, San Fransisco and London.
Payne, W. J. and Wiebe, W. J. (1978)Ann. Rev. Microbiol,32, 155.
Ramakrishnan, T., Murthy, P. S. and Gopinathan, K. P. (1972)Bacteriol. Rev.,36, 65.
Ratledge, C. (1976)Adv. Microbiol. Physiol.,13, 115.
Schneider, W. C. (1957) In: S. P. Colowick and N. O. Kaplan (ed.),Methods in Enzymology, Vol. Ill, Academic Press, New York and London, p. 680.
Sokatch, J. R. (1969)Bacterial physiology and metabolism, Academic Press, New York and London.
Stainier, R. Y., Doudoroff, H. and Adelberg, E. A. (1970)General Microbiology, Third Edition, Prentice Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Watson, J. D. (1975)Molecular Biology of the gene., W. A. Benjamin Inc., Menlo Park, California.
WiIliam, F.M. (1971) In: B.C. Pattern (ed.)Systems analysis and simulation in Ecology, Vol. I, Academic press, New York and London, p. 198.
Youmans, G. P. and Karlson, A. G. (1947)Am Rev. Tuberc. Pulm. Dis.,55, 529.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gadagkar, R., Gopinathan, K.P. Growth ofMycobacterium smegmatis in minimal and complete media. J Biosci 2, 337–348 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02716867
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02716867