K-12, model organism?

[cloudnine]

is E coli K-12 strain a model for molecular studying?
why it is so?
honestly, i don't know.

cloudnine

[canalon]

Because it is so?
A few reason, probably in order of significance:
- Habit. Everyone does so, so there are more data, so it's easier touse that rather than reoidng all the work for my new favorite strain.
- It's safe.
- It has undergone relatively few genetic manipulation since isolation.
- It's in almost everybody strain collection
- It's cheap at the ATCC (compared to some others at least)