Growth responses of Escherichia coli to the surfactant dodecyl benzene sulfonate.

When strains of Escherichia coli are grown in broth cultures containing the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (NaDDBS), they exhibit unique growth responses. After 20 to 24 hr of incubation, they become slimy and viscous, and an addition of ethanol to the supernatant liquid yields a distinctive white, fibrous precipitate. The production of this material was shown to be dependent on the presence of NaDDBS in the medium. This precipitate from E. coli ATCC 11303 was found to contain 41 to 53% protein, 10 to 11% deoxyribonucleic acid, 6.8 to 7.4% ribonucleic acid, 15 to 25% carbohydrate, and 9% lipid. It is distinctive from naturally occurring E. coli slimes in several respects. Our data suggest that its formation is the primary result of the leakage of intracellular components into the medium. However, the rate of cell proliferation indicates a partial but not complete or lethal lysis. A limited utilization of NaDDBS as a carbon source was also shown.