title: On the relationship between the physiological state of bacteria and rapid enzymatic assays of fecal coliforms in the environment.
abstract: Culturable cells and non-culturable cells of fecal coliforms, obtained by irradiation at 312 nm were submitted to the combined stress conditions of salinity and starvation. After 14 days, beta-galactosidase activity of UV-irradiated cells was at least twice the value of non-irradiated cells. UV-irradiated cells thus contribute more than non-irradiated cells to the enzyme assay after incubation in saline water. This finding is essential for the interpretation of quantitative investigations into the environment using enzymatic methods.
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000528:radiation effects; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D005947:Glucose