title: Physiological state of Escherichia coli BJ4 growing in the large intestines of streptomycin-treated mice.
abstract: Growth rates of Escherichia coli BJ4 colonizing the large intestine of streptomycin-treated mice were estimated by quantitative hybridization with rRNA target probes and by epifluorescence microscopy. The ribosomal contents in bacteria isolated from the cecal mucus, cecal contents, and feces were measured and correlated with the ribosomal contents of bacteria growing in vitro at defined rates. The data suggest that E. coli BJ4 grows at an overall high rate in the intestine. However, when taking into account the total intestinal volume and numbers of bacteria present in cecal mucus, cecal contents, and feces, we suggest that E. coli BJ4 in the intestine consists of two populations, one in the mucus which has an apparent generation time of 40 to 80 min and one in the luminal contents which is static.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Licht
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rang
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Krogfelt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology; D002455:Cell Division; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009093:Mucus / Q000382:microbiology; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000032:analysis; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; D013307:Streptomycin