Bacterial growth in space flight: logistic growth curve parameters for Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 1999 Feb;51(2):229-34. doi: 10.1007/s002530051386.

Abstract

Previous investigations have reported that bacterial suspension cultures grow to higher stationary concentrations in space flight than on Earth; however, none of these investigations included extensive ground controls under varied inertial conditions. This study includes extensive controls and cell-growth data taken at several times during lag phase, log phase, and stationary phase of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The Marquardt-Levenberg, least-squares fitting algorithm was used to calculate kinetic growth parameters from the logistic bacterial growth equations for space-flight and control growth curves. Space-flight cultures grew to higher stationary-phase concentrations and had shorter lag-phase durations. Also, evidence was found for increased exponential growth rate in space.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / growth & development*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Culture Media
  • Escherichia coli / growth & development*
  • Space Flight*
  • Weightlessness*

Substances

  • Culture Media