When a bacterium is introduced to a new environment that is an appropriate medium for that species to grow, fission allows a rapid expansion of the population (2-4-8-16-32-64 . . . etc.). But there is usually a slight lag before the bacteria actually begin building up such a logarithmic growth curve. What is the best explanation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A lag in bacterial growth after introduction to a new medium is often due to the time it takes for the bacteria to induce and amplify the production of the needed enzymes. Bacteria can code for many enzymes, but may not actively produce all of them if they are not currently needed. It can take some time for the bacteria to respond to the new environment and switch on the production of the required enzymes. This lag phase is followed by the logarithmic growth phase as the bacteria rapidly multiply by binary fission.

When a Bacterium Is Introduced to a New Environment That