E. coli is one of the most widely studied organisms – and that may be a problem for both science and medicine Premium

Scientists examine bacterial species that physiologically differ from E. coli in hopes of expanding the existing pool of knowledge within microbiology

In 1857, a young pediatrician named Theodor Escherich discovered what may very well be the most well-studied organism today. The rod-shaped bacterium named Escherichia coli, better known as E. coli, is a very common microbe residing in your gut. It’s also the workhorse of early molecular biology.

Luck likely played a role in its rise in popularity among scientists. Even under 19th-century lab conditions, where sterilization techniques were not perfect and little was known about what food bacteria need to survive, this microbe was easy to cultivate and grow quickly. It can replicate in under 20 minutes and can use a variety of carbon sources for energy.

As the first species to have its physiology thoroughly explored, E. coli has contributed fundamental knowledge to the fields of microbiology, molecular genetics and biochemistry, including how DNA replicates, how genes create proteins and how bacteria share genetic material among themselves – a huge cause of antibiotic resistance.

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However, the favoured use of E. coli in the lab has also led to oversimplifications in the world of microbiology, distracting researchers from the thousands of other bacterial species that remain understudied.

As microbiologists studying the inner mechanisms of antibiotic tolerance, we and colleagues in our lab examine bacterial species that physiologically differ from E. coli in hopes of expanding the existing pool of knowledge within microbiology. For instance, drugs like penicillin fall into a class of antibiotics that target the outer defenses of the bacteria. We found that while E. coli succumbs to this attack, species like Vibrio or Klebsiella can tolerate it and survive.

A one-size-fits-all approach may have worked in the past, but embracing the true diversity of microbes could help scientists better fight the rise of antibiotic resistance.