Adaptation to new environments of E. coli

Under various environmental conditions, bacterial cells can adapt instantly and grow optimally as programmed in the genome. When cells encounter severe environmental stress, cellular growth will be delayed or stopped. In general, bacterial growth in broth culture is composed of lag, exponential, and stationary phases. Closely-related E. coli strains possess distinct metabolic characteristics that might allow them to adapt quickly or slowly to the same environmental conditions. The aerobic culture of certain strains of E. coli in minimal medium showed the extended lag phase depending on carbon sources, which could be restored by genomic mutations. In this project, concomitant mutations in E. coli cells during adaptation to new carbon sources were elucidated.