Midterm: Bacterial Population Growth Flashcards
What is binary fission?
A type of asexual reproduction common among prokaryotes wherein a cell divides giving rise to two cell, each having the potential to grow to the size of the original cell
What is the generation time of a microbe?
The amount of time require for a complete fission cycle, from parent cells to daughter cells
What is exponential growth and what does it look like on a graph?
Exponential growth is when the population of a species will double with each generation
Why can’t microbes grow exponentially forever?
There is limited space, finite nutrients, and build up of waste
What is the lag phase?
Bacteria and other organisms do not reach their maximum rate of growth immediately. During the lag phase microbes are often acclimating to their environment and slowly accelerating towards maximum growth rates.
What is the exponential growth phase?
The phase begins when bacteria are replicating at their full potential and the population begins to double with every generation time
What is the stationary phase?
The rate of growth= the rate of death
What is the death phase?
Rate of death occurs faster than the rate of growth; population begins to subside, although usually a small % of cells will still remain visible
Why can’t microbes reach their maximum rate of growth under natural environments?
1) limited nutrients
2) suboptimal temps
3) environmental conditions not favorable
4) competition for resources
What are the 4 stages of microbial infection?
1) incubation period
2) prodromal period
3) period of invasion
4) convalescent period
What is the incubation period?
The period from contact with infectious agents until appearance of first symptoms
What is the period of invasion?
A variable period during which microbe multiplies in high numbers and causes severest symptoms
What is the convalescent period?
A period of recovery, with decline of symptoms
