Diauxic
Growth
of
Microorganisms
- In
a
medium
containing
two
carbon
sources,
bacteria
such
display
a
growth
curve
which
is
called
diauxic
.
J.
Monod,
about
35
years
ago,
first
observed
this
phenomenon
when
be
grew
E.
coli
in
a
medium
containing
glucose
and
lactose.
Under
these
conditions,
glucose
is
first
utilized
and
after
the
exhaustion
of
glucose,
lactose
is
utilized.
In
between,
a
short
lag
period
is
seen.
This
led
him
to
conclude
that
bacteria
preferentially
utilize
certain
carbon
substrates.
Diauxic
growth
can
be
obtained
by
using
any
pair
of
carbon
compounds
as
long
as
other
nutrients
are
not
limiting
