Nutritional variation in Escherichia coli

Nutritional tests were carried out on 62 strains of Escherichia coli as part of a study on the genetic basis of natural nutritional variation. The ability of these strains to utilize 84 compounds as carbon, nitrogen and carbon plus nitrogen sources was tested using an auxanographic method. The tests revealed polymorphic characters which are suitable for genetic analysis. Very few of these strains grew on the amino acids classified as 'essential' for humans.