Define the Essentiality of Carbon for the Growth of Microorganisms
Carbon is needed for the skeleton of all organic molecules. Microorganisms acquire it either as inorganic carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (autotrophs) or from organic nutrients (heterotrophs). Microorganisms, in general, have extraordinary flexibility with respect to carbon sources. There is no naturally occurring organic molecule that cannot be used by some microorganisms. Some bacteria can use almost anything as carbon source while others are fastidious and employ only few carbon compounds.