Open AccessKinetics of phase variation between S and type‐1 fimbriae of Escherichia coli
Author(s) -
Nowicki Bogdan,
Rhen Mikael,
VäisänenRhen Vuokko,
Pere Auli,
Korhonen Timo K.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1985.tb00798.x
Subject(s) - fimbria , phase variation , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , strain (injury) , pilus , phase (matter) , biology , chemistry , stationary phase , genetics , phenotype , chromatography , gene , anatomy , organic chemistry
The rate of fimbrial phase variation in Escherichia coli strain 3040 was determined. The strain has type‐1 and S fimbriae. The bacterial culture was fractionated into homogeneous subpopulations expressing either one of the fimbrial types only; the subpopulations were inoculated into broth and the fimbriation of individual cells was assayed by immunofluorescence as a function of time. The rate of the shift from S‐ or type‐1‐fimbriate cells to non‐fimbriate ones was of the order of 10 −2 per cell generation and more rapid than a direct shift from one fimbrial phase to another, although both types of phase variations were observed.