Does E. coli bacteria have spores?

No, E. coli bacteria do not produce endospores. Endospores are dormant, protective structures formed by certain bacteria, including Bacillus and Clostridium species, under unfavorable environmental conditions.

E. coli, belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, does not possess the ability to form endospores. This characteristic is an important distinguishing factor between different bacterial species and is often used in microbial identification and classification.