7. 1 Overview of microbial growth The bacterial cell is a synthetic machine that is able to duplicate itself. The synthetic processes of bacterial cell growth involve as many as 2000 chemical reactions of a wide variety of types. Some of these reactions involve energy transformations. Other reactions involve biosynthesis of small molecules-the building, blocks of macromolecules-as well as the various cofactors and coenzymes needed for enzymatic reactions7.1 Overview of microbial growth The bacterial cell is a synthetic machine that is able to duplicate itself. The synthetic processes of bacterial cell growth involve as many as 2000 chemical reactions of a wide variety of types. Some of these reactions involve energy transformations. Other reactions involve biosynthesis of small molecules-the building, blocks of macromolecules-as well as the various cofactors and coenzymes needed for enzymatic reactions