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How does pH affect the growth of microorganisms in culture media? 


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pH plays a crucial role in influencing the growth of microorganisms in culture media. Different microorganisms exhibit varied responses to pH levels. For instance, pH impacts biofilm formation and motilities of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with P. aeruginosa being particularly sensitive to pH changes . In yeast cultures, maintaining a stable extracellular pH is essential for protein secretion, with buffering agents affecting growth at certain concentrations . Moreover, pH influences the evolution of extracellular pH triggered by bacterial growth, affecting the growth curves of bacteria like Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida in different culture media . Overall, pH levels in culture media can significantly impact microbial growth, biofilm formation, and metabolic interactions within microbial communities.

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The pH significantly influences microbial growth in culture media by regulating the ionization state necessary for microbial cell-enzymes to bind substrates and grow biomass effectively.
pH significantly influences microbial community structure and metabolism in culture media, impacting diversity and metabolic interactions, with low pH inhibiting certain community members' growth and altering metabolic pathways.
Variation in pH (5 to 8) minimally affects biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, but inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation, indicating pH influence on bacterial behavior.
pH influences bacterial growth in culture media by affecting extracellular pH evolution, with different strains showing specific pH responses during growth, impacted by the carbon source used.
Open accessJournal ArticleDOI
Rianne C Prins, Sonja Billerbeck 
23 Apr 2021-BMC Microbiology
6 Citations
pH significantly impacts microorganism growth in culture media. Buffering agents are crucial to maintain desired pH levels during biomass production without affecting growth, as shown in the study on yeast.

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