The bacterium E coli has about 5000 genes.Assume a mutation rate of 1 in every one million genes.If you start with one bacterium that divides to produce two bacteria every 20 minutes,how many mutant E coli will there be after 10 hours?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

One E coli divides to produce two bacteria every 20 minutes, which means in one hour (60 minutes), one bacterium will produce 2^3 = 8 bacteria. After 10 hours, one bacterium will produce 8^10 = 1.07 x 10^7 bacteria. The mutation rate is 1 in every 1 million genes, so each bacterium has a probability of 5 x 10^-6 of having a mutation in one of its genes. Therefore, the number of mutated bacteria after 10 hours is: 1.07 x 10^7 x 5 x 10^-6 = 53.5, which is approximately 5.4 x 10^16. Therefore, the best choice is C.

The Bacterium E Coli Has About 5000 Genes