Thermodynamic Efficiency of Microbial Growth is Low but Optimal for Maximal Growth Rate

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 1983 Jan 1

PMID 6572006

Citations 43

Authors

H V Westerhoff

K J Hellingwerf

K van Dam

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Thermodynamic efficiency of microbial growth on substrates that are more oxidized than biomass approaches 24%. This is the theoretical value for a linear energy converter optimized for maximal output flow at optimal efficiency. For growth on substrates more reduced than biomass, thermodynamic efficiencies correspond to those predicted for optimization to maximal growth rate (or yield) only.

Citing Articles

Oxidation state of bioavailable dissolved organic matter influences bacterioplankton respiration and growth efficiency.

Stephens B, Stincone P, Petras D, English C, Opalk K, Giovannoni S Commun Biol. 2025; 8(1):145.

PMID: 39880889 PMC: 11779884. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07574-2.

Cell Geometry and Membrane Protein Crowding Constrain Growth Rate, Overflow Metabolism, Respiration, and Maintenance Energy.

Carlson R, Beck A, Benitez M, Harcombe W, Mahadevan R, Gedeon T bioRxiv. 2024; .

PMID: 39229203 PMC: 11370460. DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.21.609071.

Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater Is Determined by Complex Interactions between Various Chemical and Biological Processes.

Hassan Z, Westerhoff H Toxics. 2024; 12(1).

PMID: 38276724 PMC: 11154318. DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010089.

Gear Shifting in Biological Energy Transduction.

Zhang Y, Westerhoff H Entropy (Basel). 2023; 25(7).

PMID: 37509940 PMC: 10378313. DOI: 10.3390/e25070993.

When does a Lotka-Volterra model represent microbial interactions? Insights from nasal bacterial communities.

Dedrick S, Warrier V, Lemon K, Momeni B mSystems. 2023; 8(3):e0075722.

PMID: 37278524 PMC: 10308948. DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00757-22.

References

Pirt S . The maintenance energy of bacteria in growing cultures. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1965; 163(991):224-31. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.1965.0069. View

Payne W . Energy yields and growth of heterotrophs. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1970; 24:17-52. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.mi.24.100170.000313. View

de Vries W, Kapteijn W, van der Beek E, Stouthamer A . Molar growth yields and fermentation balances of Lactobacillus casei L3 in batch cultures and in continuous cultures. J Gen Microbiol. 1970; 63(3):333-45. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-63-3-333. View

Light P, Garland P . A comparison of mitochondria from Torulopsis utilis grown in continuous culture with glycerol, iron, ammonium, magnesium or phosphate as the growth-limiting nutrient. Biochem J. 1971; 124(1):123-34. PMC: 1177121. DOI: 10.1042/bj1240123. View

FORREST W, Walker D . The generation and utilization of energy during growth. Adv Microb Physiol. 1971; 5:213-74. DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2911(08)60408-7. View

Stouthamer A . A theoretical study on the amount of ATP required for synthesis of microbial cell material. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 1973; 39(3):545-65. DOI: 10.1007/BF02578899. View

Minkevich I, Eroshin V . Productivity and heat generation of fermentation under oxygen limitation. Folia Microbiol (Praha). 1973; 18(5):376-85. DOI: 10.1007/BF02875932. View

Neijssel O, Tempest D . The regulation of carbohydrate metabolism in Klebsiella aerogenes NCTC 418 organisms, growing in chemostat culture. Arch Microbiol. 1975; 106(3):251-8. DOI: 10.1007/BF00446531. View

Neijssel O, Tempest D . Bioenergetic aspects of aerobic growth of Klebsiella aerogenes NCTC 418 in carbon-limited and carbon-sufficient chemostat culture. Arch Microbiol. 1976; 107(2):215-21. DOI: 10.1007/BF00446843. View

10.

Thauer R, Jungermann K, Decker K . Energy conservation in chemotrophic anaerobic bacteria. Bacteriol Rev. 1977; 41(1):100-80. PMC: 413997. DOI: 10.1128/br.41.1.100-180.1977. View

11.

van Verseveld H, Stouthamer A . Growth yields and the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation during autotrophic growth of Paracoccus denitrificans on methanol and formate. Arch Microbiol. 1978; 118(1):21-6. DOI: 10.1007/BF00406069. View

12.

Stucki J . The optimal efficiency and the economic degrees of coupling of oxidative phosphorylation. Eur J Biochem. 1980; 109(1):269-83. DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1980.tb04792.x. View

13.

Westerhoff H, Lolkema J, Otto R, Hellingwerf K . Thermodynamics of growth. Non-equilibrium thermodynamics of bacterial growth. The phenomenological and the mosaic approach. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1982; 683(3-4):181-220. DOI: 10.1016/0304-4173(82)90001-5. View

14.

Bauchop T, ELSDEN S . The growth of micro-organisms in relation to their energy supply. J Gen Microbiol. 1960; 23:457-69. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-23-3-457. View

15.

ROSENBERGER R, ELSDEN S . The yields of Streptococcus faecalis grown in continuous culture. J Gen Microbiol. 1960; 22:726-39. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-22-3-726. View

16.

DAWES E, Ribbons D . SOME ASPECTS OF THE ENDOGENOUS METABOLISM OF BACTERIA. Bacteriol Rev. 1964; 28:126-49. PMC: 441217. DOI: 10.1128/br.28.2.126-149.1964. View