GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY - T.P. Pyrog - 2004

6. MICROBIAL GROWTH

6.4. PHYSIOLOGY OF GROWTH

6.4.8. Synchronous cultures

Synchronous cultures are used to study the synthesis of individual Cell components during division, as well as to conduct cytogenetic and genetic research. These are cultures in which, for a certain period, all Cells divide simultaneously (synchronously) due to the uniform readiness of individual cells for growth and division. Culture synchronization is achieved through Physical and Chemical-biological Methods:

physical methods include Temperature shifts, differential centrifugation, differential filtration, and alternating light and dark regimes for photosynthetic Bacteria. Differential centrifugation or filtration allows the Separation of the light fraction of cells (smaller in size), which divide synchronously over the first few generations. These two methods are considered the mildest approaches for culture synchronization;

chemical-biological methods involve cultivating bacteria on deficient nutrient media followed by transferring them to complete media, as well as induced bacterial starvation.



Last update: 13/08/2026

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