LB is a widely used bacterial culture medium today but it has its origins in the field of bacteriophage genetics. Guiseppi Bertani created the LB recipe while trying to optimize plaque formation on a Shigella indicator strain (Bertani, 1952). According to Bertani, LB has been variously misconstrued to stand for "Luria Broth", "Luria-Bertani" medium, and "Lennox Broth"; however, the acronym originally stood for "Lysogeny Broth" (Bertani, 2004). The agar form of the medium should be designated LA but it is often referred to as LB. Although originally developed for bacteriophage studies and Shigella growth, LB subsequently became the medium of choice for growth of Escherichia coliand other related enteric species.