NCERT Textbook: Microbial Culture | Biotechnology for Class 12 - NEET PDF Download

 Page 1


UNIT III
Microbial, Plant, Animal Cell, 
Organ Cultures and  
Bioprocessing
Chapter 6: Microbial Culture
Chapter 7: Plant Tissue Culture
Chapter 8: Animal Cell Culture
Chapter 9: Stem Cell Culture and Organ Culture
Chapter 10: Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   141 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Page 2


UNIT III
Microbial, Plant, Animal Cell, 
Organ Cultures and  
Bioprocessing
Chapter 6: Microbial Culture
Chapter 7: Plant Tissue Culture
Chapter 8: Animal Cell Culture
Chapter 9: Stem Cell Culture and Organ Culture
Chapter 10: Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   141 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
142
Gottlieb Haberlandt was an Austrian Botanist. He was 
the son of European ‘soybean’ pioneer Professor Friedrich  
J. Haberlandt. Haberlandt ??rst pointed out the possibilities 
of the culture of isolated tissues and plant tissue culture. 
He suggested the potentialities of individual cells via tissue 
culture and also suggested that the reciprocal in??uences of 
tissues on one another could be determined by this method. 
Haberlandt’s original assertion methods for tissue and cell 
culture have been realised, leading to signi??cant discoveries 
in Biology and Medicine. His original idea presented in 1902 
was called totipotentiality: ‘Theoretically all plant cells are 
able to give rise to a complete plant.’ The term Kranz (German 
for wreath) anatomy was given by Gottlieb Haberlandt in 
1904 to describe the specialised leaf anatomy found in more 
ef??cient C4 photosynthesis in land plants.
Gottlieb Haberlandt
(28 Nov 1854 – 30 Jan 1945)
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   142 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Page 3


UNIT III
Microbial, Plant, Animal Cell, 
Organ Cultures and  
Bioprocessing
Chapter 6: Microbial Culture
Chapter 7: Plant Tissue Culture
Chapter 8: Animal Cell Culture
Chapter 9: Stem Cell Culture and Organ Culture
Chapter 10: Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   141 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
142
Gottlieb Haberlandt was an Austrian Botanist. He was 
the son of European ‘soybean’ pioneer Professor Friedrich  
J. Haberlandt. Haberlandt ??rst pointed out the possibilities 
of the culture of isolated tissues and plant tissue culture. 
He suggested the potentialities of individual cells via tissue 
culture and also suggested that the reciprocal in??uences of 
tissues on one another could be determined by this method. 
Haberlandt’s original assertion methods for tissue and cell 
culture have been realised, leading to signi??cant discoveries 
in Biology and Medicine. His original idea presented in 1902 
was called totipotentiality: ‘Theoretically all plant cells are 
able to give rise to a complete plant.’ The term Kranz (German 
for wreath) anatomy was given by Gottlieb Haberlandt in 
1904 to describe the specialised leaf anatomy found in more 
ef??cient C4 photosynthesis in land plants.
Gottlieb Haberlandt
(28 Nov 1854 – 30 Jan 1945)
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   142 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
The world of microorganisms has unusual diversity 
pertaining to their structure, function, habitat and 
applications. They are ubiquitous in nature, i.e., they 
are present everywhere. Microbiology is the study or 
science (logos) of the small (micro) organisms (bios). 
Microbiology has gained a dominant position in fundamental 
research, agriculture, pharmaceutical industry, medicine, 
environmental  science, food technology and genetic 
engineering, etc. In this chapter, you will learn about the 
nutrition of microorganisms, culture media, sterilisation 
techniques, and growth curve.
6.1 Historical Pers Pective Discovery of microscope during the mid 1600s laid the 
foundation of microbiology. In the 1670s to 1680s, a 
Dutch merchant, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek developed 
the microscope and observed the microscopic organisms 
and coined the term ‘animalcules’. After the era of 
Leeuwenhoek, the developments in microbiology were 
slow, due to rare availability of microscopes and lack of 
interest towards microorganisms. Scientists at that time 
6.1 Historical 
Perspective
6.2 Nutritional 
Requirements and 
Culture Media
6.3 Sterilisation 
Methods
6.4 Pure Culture 
Techniques 
6.5 Factors Affecting 
Microbial Growth
6.6 The Growth Curve
Microbial Culture
6
Chapter 
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   143 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Page 4


UNIT III
Microbial, Plant, Animal Cell, 
Organ Cultures and  
Bioprocessing
Chapter 6: Microbial Culture
Chapter 7: Plant Tissue Culture
Chapter 8: Animal Cell Culture
Chapter 9: Stem Cell Culture and Organ Culture
Chapter 10: Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   141 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
142
Gottlieb Haberlandt was an Austrian Botanist. He was 
the son of European ‘soybean’ pioneer Professor Friedrich  
J. Haberlandt. Haberlandt ??rst pointed out the possibilities 
of the culture of isolated tissues and plant tissue culture. 
He suggested the potentialities of individual cells via tissue 
culture and also suggested that the reciprocal in??uences of 
tissues on one another could be determined by this method. 
Haberlandt’s original assertion methods for tissue and cell 
culture have been realised, leading to signi??cant discoveries 
in Biology and Medicine. His original idea presented in 1902 
was called totipotentiality: ‘Theoretically all plant cells are 
able to give rise to a complete plant.’ The term Kranz (German 
for wreath) anatomy was given by Gottlieb Haberlandt in 
1904 to describe the specialised leaf anatomy found in more 
ef??cient C4 photosynthesis in land plants.
Gottlieb Haberlandt
(28 Nov 1854 – 30 Jan 1945)
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   142 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
The world of microorganisms has unusual diversity 
pertaining to their structure, function, habitat and 
applications. They are ubiquitous in nature, i.e., they 
are present everywhere. Microbiology is the study or 
science (logos) of the small (micro) organisms (bios). 
Microbiology has gained a dominant position in fundamental 
research, agriculture, pharmaceutical industry, medicine, 
environmental  science, food technology and genetic 
engineering, etc. In this chapter, you will learn about the 
nutrition of microorganisms, culture media, sterilisation 
techniques, and growth curve.
6.1 Historical Pers Pective Discovery of microscope during the mid 1600s laid the 
foundation of microbiology. In the 1670s to 1680s, a 
Dutch merchant, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek developed 
the microscope and observed the microscopic organisms 
and coined the term ‘animalcules’. After the era of 
Leeuwenhoek, the developments in microbiology were 
slow, due to rare availability of microscopes and lack of 
interest towards microorganisms. Scientists at that time 
6.1 Historical 
Perspective
6.2 Nutritional 
Requirements and 
Culture Media
6.3 Sterilisation 
Methods
6.4 Pure Culture 
Techniques 
6.5 Factors Affecting 
Microbial Growth
6.6 The Growth Curve
Microbial Culture
6
Chapter 
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   143 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 144
believed that the microorganisms originate from lifeless 
matter. But, on the contarary, Lazzaro Spallanzani observed 
that there were no microscopic forms of life in boiled broth. 
In the middle and late 1800s, Louis Pasteur had performed 
experiments to prove the importance of microorganisms in 
everyday life and encouraged scientists to think about the 
role of bacteria in human illness.
Box 1 Pasteur’s Experiment
Pasteur exposed the 
boiled broths to air in  a 
??lter containing ??asks to 
prevent all the particles 
from penetrating to the 
growth medium. He also 
put broth in the ??asks 
with a long twisted ‘S’ 
shaped neck that would 
not allow dust particles 
to pass. He observed 
that nothing grows in 
the broth [Fig. (a)]. He 
then broke the long neck 
of the ??ask and bacterial 
growth was observed 
[Fig. (b)]. He also tilted 
the ??ask sideways and 
allowed the broth to 
touch the neck, thereby 
exposing the broth to the 
outside environment. 
After letting it sit, he 
found bacterial growth 
[Fig.  (c)]. These [Fig. (b) 
and (c)] prove that the 
living organisms grow 
in such broths due 
to the agents coming 
from outside, rather 
than spontaneously 
generated within the 
broth. Thus, his pioneer work further proved that the microorganisms were present in the 
air, and could cause diseases. On the basis of on his experiments, Pasteur disproved the 
theory of spontaneous generation and postulated the germ theory of disease, which states 
that ‘the microorganisms were the cause for infectious diseases.
Louis Pasteur’s experiment that illustrates the idea of germ 
theory of disease. (The unique design of neck allowed air to enter 
the flask but prevented the entry of fungal spores and bacteria)
Heat
Heat
Heat
(Broth boiled to
sterili e and kill s
microorganisms)
(Broth boiled to
sterili e and kill s
microorganisms)
(Broth boiled to
sterili e and kill s
microorganisms)
No bacterial
growth
Let ?ask sit
Remove the neck of
?ask, allow air and
dust to enter the
?ask and let it sit
Bacterial growth
observed
Tilt the?ask sideways
and allow the broth
to touch the neck
and let it sit
Bacterial growth
present
(a)
(b)
(c)
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   144 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Page 5


UNIT III
Microbial, Plant, Animal Cell, 
Organ Cultures and  
Bioprocessing
Chapter 6: Microbial Culture
Chapter 7: Plant Tissue Culture
Chapter 8: Animal Cell Culture
Chapter 9: Stem Cell Culture and Organ Culture
Chapter 10: Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   141 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
142
Gottlieb Haberlandt was an Austrian Botanist. He was 
the son of European ‘soybean’ pioneer Professor Friedrich  
J. Haberlandt. Haberlandt ??rst pointed out the possibilities 
of the culture of isolated tissues and plant tissue culture. 
He suggested the potentialities of individual cells via tissue 
culture and also suggested that the reciprocal in??uences of 
tissues on one another could be determined by this method. 
Haberlandt’s original assertion methods for tissue and cell 
culture have been realised, leading to signi??cant discoveries 
in Biology and Medicine. His original idea presented in 1902 
was called totipotentiality: ‘Theoretically all plant cells are 
able to give rise to a complete plant.’ The term Kranz (German 
for wreath) anatomy was given by Gottlieb Haberlandt in 
1904 to describe the specialised leaf anatomy found in more 
ef??cient C4 photosynthesis in land plants.
Gottlieb Haberlandt
(28 Nov 1854 – 30 Jan 1945)
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   142 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
The world of microorganisms has unusual diversity 
pertaining to their structure, function, habitat and 
applications. They are ubiquitous in nature, i.e., they 
are present everywhere. Microbiology is the study or 
science (logos) of the small (micro) organisms (bios). 
Microbiology has gained a dominant position in fundamental 
research, agriculture, pharmaceutical industry, medicine, 
environmental  science, food technology and genetic 
engineering, etc. In this chapter, you will learn about the 
nutrition of microorganisms, culture media, sterilisation 
techniques, and growth curve.
6.1 Historical Pers Pective Discovery of microscope during the mid 1600s laid the 
foundation of microbiology. In the 1670s to 1680s, a 
Dutch merchant, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek developed 
the microscope and observed the microscopic organisms 
and coined the term ‘animalcules’. After the era of 
Leeuwenhoek, the developments in microbiology were 
slow, due to rare availability of microscopes and lack of 
interest towards microorganisms. Scientists at that time 
6.1 Historical 
Perspective
6.2 Nutritional 
Requirements and 
Culture Media
6.3 Sterilisation 
Methods
6.4 Pure Culture 
Techniques 
6.5 Factors Affecting 
Microbial Growth
6.6 The Growth Curve
Microbial Culture
6
Chapter 
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   143 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Biotechnology XII 144
believed that the microorganisms originate from lifeless 
matter. But, on the contarary, Lazzaro Spallanzani observed 
that there were no microscopic forms of life in boiled broth. 
In the middle and late 1800s, Louis Pasteur had performed 
experiments to prove the importance of microorganisms in 
everyday life and encouraged scientists to think about the 
role of bacteria in human illness.
Box 1 Pasteur’s Experiment
Pasteur exposed the 
boiled broths to air in  a 
??lter containing ??asks to 
prevent all the particles 
from penetrating to the 
growth medium. He also 
put broth in the ??asks 
with a long twisted ‘S’ 
shaped neck that would 
not allow dust particles 
to pass. He observed 
that nothing grows in 
the broth [Fig. (a)]. He 
then broke the long neck 
of the ??ask and bacterial 
growth was observed 
[Fig. (b)]. He also tilted 
the ??ask sideways and 
allowed the broth to 
touch the neck, thereby 
exposing the broth to the 
outside environment. 
After letting it sit, he 
found bacterial growth 
[Fig.  (c)]. These [Fig. (b) 
and (c)] prove that the 
living organisms grow 
in such broths due 
to the agents coming 
from outside, rather 
than spontaneously 
generated within the 
broth. Thus, his pioneer work further proved that the microorganisms were present in the 
air, and could cause diseases. On the basis of on his experiments, Pasteur disproved the 
theory of spontaneous generation and postulated the germ theory of disease, which states 
that ‘the microorganisms were the cause for infectious diseases.
Louis Pasteur’s experiment that illustrates the idea of germ 
theory of disease. (The unique design of neck allowed air to enter 
the flask but prevented the entry of fungal spores and bacteria)
Heat
Heat
Heat
(Broth boiled to
sterili e and kill s
microorganisms)
(Broth boiled to
sterili e and kill s
microorganisms)
(Broth boiled to
sterili e and kill s
microorganisms)
No bacterial
growth
Let ?ask sit
Remove the neck of
?ask, allow air and
dust to enter the
?ask and let it sit
Bacterial growth
observed
Tilt the?ask sideways
and allow the broth
to touch the neck
and let it sit
Bacterial growth
present
(a)
(b)
(c)
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   144 23-01-2025   11:23:31
Reprint 2025-26
Microbial culture 145
 The German scientist, Robert Koch further proved 
the germ theory by injecting pure cultures of Bacilli 
into mice and showed that the Bacilli caused anthrax. 
Accordingly, Koch postulated (Fig. 6.1) and provided a set 
of principles that implicated the microorganisms to be the 
causative agents for diseases.
Pictorial representation of Koch’s experiments
Inoculate healthy animal
with suspected pathogen the
Culture sample from diseased
and healthy animal
Culture
Diseased animal Healthy animal
Red blood
cells
Red
blood cell
Culture
of pathogen
Suspected
pathogen
No pathogens present
Suspected
pathogen
Healthy animal
become diseased
Box 2 Koch’s Experiment
Chapter 6_Microbial Culture.indd   145 23-01-2025   11:23:32
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