[Adaptation of certain strains of Escherichia coli to different sea water temperatures]

The purpose of this work was to study the adaptation of Escherichia coli strains to different temperatures (from 0 to 20 degrees C) of sea water. Three out of the four studied strains were capable of growing in sea water. Two of the strains could grow at 20, 10 and 5 degrees C while the third one did not grow below 20 degrees C. After the strains had been kept for a long time in sea water, some cells lost the ability to grow at 37 degrees C; a temperature considerably below 37 degrees C was optimal for their growth. The absence of growth when cells kept for a long time in sea water at 20, 10 and 5 degrees C were inoculated in the Endo medium does not signify that they died, since some of the cells were found to be capable of growth upon the subsequent incubation at 37 degrees C.