Luria & Delbruck Thought Experiment #2 : Mutation

    Most bacterial cells are naturally sensitive to bacteriophage (black cells). In the last generation, ten cells are observed to be resistant (red).  If the resistance of these cells arose by spontaneous mutation prior to exposure to bacteriophage in the fourth generation, then cultures will have variable numbers of resistant cells, depending on whether the mutation occurred early (Culture 3) or late (Culture 1) or not al all (Cultures 2 & 4). The variance among cultures will fluctuate strongly, and will increase with an increasing number of generations.

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All text material ©2005 by Steven M. Carr 

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