Currently Im study the biodegradation of polystyrene. When i preparing my control (minimal salt media plate + cell inoculum without carbon source), i observed cell growth on the control plate.
Dear Kiang,
1. Some bacteria can grow without added carbon source. They exhibit an "autotrophic metabolism" and fix carbon in the form of CO2. Traces of CO2 could thus support them.
2. What can also happen is that organic buffers (TRIS, MOPS) are partly degraded as carbon source by some microbes.
3. Finally, chemicals such as salts contain small impurities of organics, depending on their purity. Even water can have some depending on purity. This could also deliver carbon for growth.
4. If you prepare an agar plate, you use a polymer to achieve the solid medium type, which can be degraded by some bacteria. If this is the case, the colonies will sink into the plate becuase they liquify the medium around them. we used this many years ago select for gellan degrading bacteria.
Best,
Christoph
YES, they can. They are utilizing for example some their metabolites.
Best regards Vit
Dear Kiang,
1. Some bacteria can grow without added carbon source. They exhibit an "autotrophic metabolism" and fix carbon in the form of CO2. Traces of CO2 could thus support them.
2. What can also happen is that organic buffers (TRIS, MOPS) are partly degraded as carbon source by some microbes.
3. Finally, chemicals such as salts contain small impurities of organics, depending on their purity. Even water can have some depending on purity. This could also deliver carbon for growth.
4. If you prepare an agar plate, you use a polymer to achieve the solid medium type, which can be degraded by some bacteria. If this is the case, the colonies will sink into the plate becuase they liquify the medium around them. we used this many years ago select for gellan degrading bacteria.
Best,
Christoph
In addition to answer of Dr. Wittmann
if you are using liquid culture for inoculation, inoculum loop can contain and transfer some organic substrates.
Biochemical tests of microorganisms have to inoculated from solid culture, particularly which deal with carbon source, it must be inoculated from solid culture.
When I was testing the pesticide utilization of bacteria as the sole carbon source some bacteria had grown on my controls.
Christoph Wittmann , do you have specific examples of organisms capable of utilizing MOPS? Thanks in advance.
If you use the plate medium, the agarose can introduce some suagr for cell growth. I think liquid medium is better. Good luck!
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