ˈɜːli ɛkspˈɛɹɪmənts ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹd ðɪ ˈiː. kˈoʊli stɹˈeɪn ˌɑːɹɹˈɑːɹ wˈʌn tə pɹədˈuːs ˈiːðɚ wˈʌn ʌvðə tˈuː ˈɑːptɪkəl ˈaɪsəmɚz ʌv lˈækteɪt.
Early experiments engineered the E. coli strain RR1 to produce either one of the two optical isomers of lactate.