Synchronization of Escherichia coli in a Chemostat by Periodic Phosphate Feeding

A method is described of producing and maintaining division synchrony of bacterial cells growing in a chemostat. The method depends upon adding the limiting nutrient, phosphate, to the culture periodically, the period being equal to the generation time so that there is one addition per cell generation. Several enzymes were measured and shown to oscillate once during the cell cycle. Each enzyme had a characteristic phase relationship to cell division.