Describe why some scientists have suggested that feeding cattle a corn-rich diet has resulted in selecting for the development of E. coli strain O₁₅₇:H₇.

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The Answer is Cattle are not adapted to digest corn. A corn-rich diet disturbs the animal's stomach lining and makes the gut more acidic. In this acidic environment, the growth of bacteria normally found in the gut is reduced in favor of bacteria that are more acid-tolerant. The E. coli strain O₁₅₇:H₇ is such an acid-tolerant bacterium. Thus, this selection event, along with other factors, may have contributed to its increased success in cattle.

Describe Why Some Scientists Have Suggested That Feeding Cattle a Corn-Rich