GENERATION TIME STATISTICS OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI-B MEASURED BY SYNCHRONOUS CULTURE TECHNIQUES

Synchronous cultures of E. coli B were produced under various environmental conditions. Analysis of the cell number data permitted the characterization of the generation time distribution for these organisms and the estimation of the mother-daughter generation time correlation coefficients. For all growth conditions, the distribution of generation times was symmetrical with a coefficient or variation of 0.22 .+-. 0.02. The mother-daughter generation time correlation coefficient was significantly negative at doubling times between 40-64 min. The results for a culture growing in succinate medium at 37.degree. C, which had a significantly greater generation time, yielded a correlation coefficient close to zero. Within the range of temperatures studied (26-37.degree. C), no significant effect on the correlation coefficient was observed.