Question

If E. coli is grown under conditions that maintain a generation time of 80 minutes and the cells are the quickly transferred into a new medium that allows a generation time of 40 minutes?

1. How would that affect DNA polymerase?

2. DNA replication process?

3. DNA division?

4. Will generation time change?

Answer 1

Bacterial growth is majorly depend on the external environmental factors i.e., physical factors like presence of nutrients etc. In general, doubling time of E. coli is 40 minutes.

1. If generation time of bacteria is reducing on media changing then DNA polymerase activity would come towards normal due to presence of all necessary factors for division.

2.As we know DNA replication in E.coli occurs at single origin of replication. Presence of more nutrients will not change this process.

3. Cell division will also remain same.

4. Yes, generation time can change. Doubling time or generation time for bacteria (E. coli) is dependent on presence of nutrients for bacteria.