Rickettsia prowazekii, ribosomes and slow growth.

Some bacteria, such as Rickettsia prowazekii, grow slowly, not with anticipation of a future feast, but because it is evolutionarily advantageous to do so. This creates apparent paradoxes for understanding their physiology and biochemistry. These rickettsiae have a ribosome concentration higher than expected if these ribosomes support translation at rates comparable to those in Escherichia coli.