RIBOSOMAL EFFICIENCY AND GROWTH-RATES OF FRESHLY ISOLATED ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAINS ORIGINATING FROM THE GASTROINTESTINAL-TRACT

It has been previously reported that for natural Escherichia coli isol ates from the ECOR collection, there were differences in the ribosomal efficiencies and there was a direct correlation between growth rate a nd the ribosome efficiency (R-factor), The aim of this study was to de termine whether strains freshly isolated (i.e. subcultured <5 times) f rom the gastrointestinal tract ecosystem also exhibited this correlati on, Eleven E. coli and two Enterobacter spp. isolates from either huma ns, pigs, rats or a mammoth were investigated, Considerable variabilit y in the R-factor was noted using an in vitro translation assay, howev er no consistent correlation between the R-factor and growth rate was noted. (C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.