Why did some Colonies Grow Faster Than Others?

[clokke76]

Hi why do some colonies on bacterial plates grow much faster than others?

thanks

[jtendres]

Some bacteria are better at recovering during the lag phase of growth more than others either by their genetics or the situation they were in while being transported from a tube or what have you to the plate. Damage to them can occur at any time before and during plating. Also, some bacteria will be faster at dividing and utilizing nutrients most likely from their genetic make up during the exponential phase. Certain types of bacteria have sloppy division and will kill themselves in the process.

[kalaig]

If it is the same colony, probably the age of the culture may also play role

[karchung]

If you are talking about the colonies of different organisms, then it will depend on the generation time of the indivisual organisms. Some have shorter generation time while some have longer generation time. Example, colonies of M. tuberculosis appears only after 2 weeks of minimum incubation since the generation time is long, that is about 24 hours. which means a single bacilli takes around 24 hours to become 2 bacilli.

[janusweta]

it all depends on the genetical make up of the bacteria, age of the culture, type of transformation, access of nutrients availability , and of course dividing nature. Any way all these points stands on the genetical make up of the bacteria.

[janusweta]

It all depends on the genetical make up of the bacteria which determines the utilization of nutrients available, age of the culture, method of culturing (which may be specific to particular type), dividing nature , and some time there may be a possibility of natural mutation..