Heterotrophic bacteria in seawater play an important role in biogeochemical cycling of biogenic elements. The decomposition rate of different dissolved organic matter (DOM) is related to the amount of heterotrophic bacteria, and the biological utilization ratio of DOM influences the growth of bacteria. In this study, mineralization and the effect of four kinds of DOM with similar structure but different biogenic elements on bacterial growth were investigated. The results suggested that organic matter added to cultures promoted the growth of natural marine heterotrophic bacteria, and the order of specific growth rate (μ) was as follows: N > C > P > S > control. DOM with nitrogen and carbon was the most effective in accelerating the growth of bacteria. The order of bacterial growth efficiency was as follows: Control > C > P > N > S; these results indicated that bacterial secondary production has no direct correlation with the decomposition rate of organic matter. The consumption rate of organic matter per individual bacterium (I) was in the following order: N > C > P > S > control, which was the same for biological availability of different organic matter. These results suggested that the mineralization rate is different for various organic matters having similar structure but different biogenic elements. The organic matter with nitrogen was decomposed most easily, followed by carbonaceous organic matter and organic phosphorus, but organic sulfur remained somewhat refractory to decomposition.