Impact of Low pH on Microbial Growth Rate, ATP Production, and NADH to NAD+ ratio

Enany, Shymaa

doi:https://doi.org/10.51429/EJMM29314

Impact of Low pH on Microbial Growth Rate, ATP Production, and NADH to NAD+ ratio

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

Author

Shymaa Enany

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Egypt

https://doi.org/10.51429/EJMM29314

Abstract

Background: Bacterial metabolism is the tendency of bacteria to live, function, and replicate fittingly under their current culture and varied environment conditions. Microorganisms have intricated metabolic regulatory mechanisms to ameliorate environmental stresses. Objectives: We examined the effect of acidic pH, as one of stresses, on growth rate and metabolism of five different microorganisms. Methodology: ATP level, as an indicator for microbial viability, and alterations in NADH/NAD+ ratio, which plays a critical role in microbial metabolism, were assessed. Results: Our results showed that alterations in pH influence metabolism of different bacterial species with different extent. The growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Bacillus Subtilis were diminished with an elevation in ATP and NADH/NAD+ ratio at low pH. Contrary, MRSA and MSSA showed trivial alterations for ATP and NADH/NAD+ ratio. Conclusion: Ultimately, this study affirmed differences in metabolism between different species and confirmed that alterations in pH influenced the metabolism and hence the pathogenesis.

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