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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2008, p. 2534-2536, Vol. 74, No. 8
0099-2240/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02402-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Single-Cell and Population Lag Times as a Function of Cell Age

Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UA, United Kingdom

Received 25 October 2007/ Accepted 12 February 2008

After inoculation, the times to the first divisions are longer and more widely distributed for those Escherichia coli single cells that spent more time in the stationary phase prior to inoculation. The second generation times are still longer than the typical generation times in the exponential phase, and this extended the apparent lag time of the cell population. The greater the variability of the single-cell interdivision intervals, the shorter are both the lag time and the doubling time of the population.

Published ahead of print on 22 February 2008.