PEA (phenyethylamine) agar is not a suitable growth medium for E. coli. E. coli is a Gram-negative bacterium that requires specific nutrients and conditions for growth. PEA agar is typically used for the cultivation and isolation of certain types of fungi, particularly those that can utilize phenyethylamine as a nitrogen source. E. coli lacks the necessary enzymes and metabolic pathways to utilize phenyethylamine, and therefore, it cannot grow on PEA agar.
