[Survival of bacteria and the fate of Escherichia coli DNA in amino acid deficiency].

The survival rate of an E. coli polyauxotrophous strain AB1157 and the behaviour of its DNA were studied when the strain was incubated for a long time at 43 degrees C in a medium deficient in glucose, phosphates and amino acids. Under these conditions, the survival rate fell down to 10%, but no cell lysis occurred. DNA synthesis stopped within the first two hours of starvation. Neither DNA degradation, despiralization nor decrease of its molecular weight could be detected during the entire starvation. Therefore, the death of E. coli cells under these conditions was not associated with DNA damages.