Fig. 2.

Genetically identical cells can be separated into many fractions. Asynchronous cultures of stationary phase E. coli MG1655 were sorted by using counterflow centrifugal elutriation (see Experimental Procedures). (A–C) The distribution of cell volumes obtained by microscopy (n > 500) and electronic (n > 10,000) measurements are shown for representative small (A) and large (B) fractions, as well as for the starting asynchronous population (C). (See Fig. S4 for additional fractions.) CoV, coefficient of variation. (D–F) Representative phase contrast pictures are shown to the right of the corresponding volume distributions. (Scale bars: 5 μm.)