Final answer:
Bacteria require macronutrients such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur, with carbon making up 50% and nitrogen 12% of the dry weight of a cell. They also need micronutrients and certain physical environment conditions for growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Basic Chemical Requirements of Bacteria
The basic chemical requirements for bacteria include macronutrients such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur, all of which are essential components of organic compounds within the cell. Carbon is a major element, accounting for about 50 percent of a cell's composition, while nitrogen, which is a crucial part of proteins and nucleic acids, represents approximately 12 percent of the total dry weight of a typical bacterial cell. Bacteria also require micronutrients, including metallic elements such as iron for electron-transport reactions and other elements like boron, chromium, and manganese primarily as enzyme cofactors.
For successful bacterial growth in culture, an optimal physical environment that controls factors such as temperature, pH, and atmospheric gases is critical. Certain heterotrophic bacteria depend on organic compounds as food and may also need additional nutrients like vitamins. Macronutrients are typically required in amounts greater than 0.1% of the organism's dry weight, to support cellular structure and function.