E.coli Doesn't Like Diets Either, At Least Genomic Ones

Another interesting preprint that fits several recent themes - genome minimization, discontinuation of products - comes from a Japanese group that reports on significantly reducing the genome of E.coli . They tried for 1.7Mb but ended up settling - for now - with a 2.3Mb genome. That's only about half the size of the strain they started with, but not at all a small genome. Read more »