Nutritional Requirements for Microbes

Nutritional Requirements for Microbes
Microorganisms, especially bacteria vary greatly in nutritional requirements from species to species. In the presence of particular inorganic salts, some bacteria can utilize the nitrogen in air to form proteins and the carbon dioxide in air to obtain energy or to form compounds from which they can then obtain energy.

Others can utilize simple inorganic salts, such as nitrates, as a source of nitrogen and relatively simple organic compounds, such as lactase, as a source of energy.

Nearly all yeasts can derive all their nitrogen from lysine, and amino acid. Some bacteria may require complex organic compounds for growth including amino acids (the primary units is proteins), vitamins –especially those belonging to the B-group – and traced of certain mineral.

It has been shown that, in some cases, not only are trace minerals necessary, but they need careful control to sustain an optimum growth rate.

There is some evidence that demonstrates the abilities of at least some microbes to utilizes substitute elements for required ones.

Sometimes, one trace element may protect microbes from the toxic effects of the presence as other elements; thus, the presence of zinc has been reported to protect yeasts against cadmium compounds.

Mold and yeasts, like bacteria, may require basic elements (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, etc) as well as vitamins and other organic compounds.

Although sugar is a nutrient important to microbes, some molds and yeasts can grow well in concentrations that inhibit bacterial growth. In fact, yeasts grow extremely well in the presence of sugar.
Nutritional Requirements for Microbes