Question

Assume E. coli are grown in a nutrient medium containing the radioisotope 16N. After a 48-hour incubation period, where in E. coli would the 16N would most likely be found and why?

Answer 1

The radioisotope 16-N will most likely be found in proteins in the ribosome, cell membrane and carbohydrate-metabolism related proteins.

This is because, proteins are synthesized from amino acids which individually require nitrogen for their own synthesis. Also, proteins make up more of the E. coli biomass than do the purine and pyrimidine nucleotides whose synthesis also require nitrogen.

Microorganisms such as the E. coli bacteria, have certain nutritional requirements for growth. These requirements include carbon source, nitrogen source and growth factors.

A nutrient medium provides these nutrients for microbial growth.

Nitrogen is required by microbial cells such as E. coli for use in the synthesis of proteins, amino acids, DNA, and RNA.

A radioisotope 16-N in a nutrient medium for growing E. coli cells will be used in the synthesis of these biomolecules.

However, because proteins are found more abundantly in E. coli cells, the radioisotope 16-N will mostly be found in cellular proteins such as ribosomes, cell membrane and carbohydrate-metabolism related proteins.

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