Question

Imagine that in E. coli cell is growing at 37°C. The temperature is then lowered to 18°C. What changes will this cell undergo to adapt to the lower temperature?

Answer 1

Escherichia coli (E.coli) is a bacteria that actually lives under normal conditions of temperature. The temperature range at which E.coli lives is 20-40°C . Hence, it is called a mesophile.

According to the question when E.coli growing at 37°C is transferred to 18°C the following changes occurs.

1. The growth of the organism becomes slow as its enzyme activity reduces.

2. The size of the cell and the colony reduces due to inability to degrade lactose as beta galactosidase activity impaired.

Note that decrease in the temperature below 20°C reduces E.coli activity. When is low below 10°C, the activity is completely inhibited.