Bacteria can reproduce very rapidly in favorable environments in both laboratory cultures and natural habitats. The time required for a bacterial population to double is called generation time. For example, under optimal conditions, Escherichia coli can divide every 17 minutes. A laboratory culture started with a single cell can produce a colony of 107 to 108 bacteria in about 12 hours.
Bacterium |
Generation time (in minutes) |
Escherichia coli |
17 |
Salmonella typhimurium |
24 |
Staphylococcus aureus |
32 |
Clostridium botulinum |
35 |
Streptococcus lactis |
48 |
Lactobacillus acidophilus |
66 |