Leucine amino peptidase (LAP) test is a rapid test for detection of enzyme leucine aminopeptidase. Leucine- β- napthalamide impregnated disk serves as a substrate for the detection of leucine aminopeptidase. This test is usually used, in conjunction with other tests, for the identification of streptococci and … Read more

Phosphatidylcholine or simply, lecithin is a substance widely distributed in animal tissues, egg yolk, and some higher plants, consisting of phospholipids linked to choline. Some microorganisms possess lecithinase, also called phospholipase C, which is an enzyme that splits the phospholipid lecithin. Such lecithinase activity is used … Read more

Microbes can be roughly classified according to the range of temperature at which they can grow. The growth rates are the highest at the optimum growth temperature for the organism. The lowest temperature at which the organism can survive and replicate is its minimum growth temperature. The highest … Read more

Gelatin is a protein derived from the connective tissues of vertebrates, that is, collagen. It is produced when collagen is boiled in water. Gelatin hydrolysis detects the presence of gelatinases. Gelatinases are proteases secreted extracellularly by some bacteria which hydrolyze or digest gelatin. The production … Read more

The ability of bacteria to form organic compounds by metabolizing certain carbohydrates and related compounds is a widely used method for the identification of microorganisms. Different fermentation media are used to differentiate organisms based on their ability to ferment carbohydrates incorporated into the basal medium. … Read more

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a large polymer of nucleotides that is way too large to enter the cell membrane. In order to utilize external DNA, bacteria cells secrete exoenzymes (DNases) outside of the cell that hydrolyze DNA into nucleotides. The nucleotides can then move across the cell … Read more

Cetrimide is a quaternary ammonium salt, which acts as a selective agent and inhibits most bacteria by acting as a cationic detergent (Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide). Cetrimide when added into a culture medium results into a selective solid medium recommended for use in qualitative procedures for selective … Read more

Casein, the major milk protein, is a macromolecule composed of amino acid subunits linked together by peptide bonds (CO—NH). It makes around 85% of the protein found in milk as well as the white color of milk. Casein is way too large to enter the … Read more

Esculin is a glycosidic coumarin derivative (6-beta-glucoside-7-hydroxy-coumarin). The two moieties of the molecule (glucose and 7-hydroxycoumarin) are linked together by an ester bond through oxygen. Many bacteria can hydrolyze esculin, but few can do so in the presence of bile. Thus the bile esculin test is … Read more

Butyrate discs are employed in the microbiology lab for demonstrating the enzymatic hydrolysis of bromo-chloro-indolyl butyrate. The Test Disc is used for rapid detection and qualitative procedures of butyrate esterase for presumptive identification of Moraxella catarrhalis. Moraxella catarrhalis is recognized as a significant pathogen whose isolation … Read more

Different bacteria produce an important class of enzymes called beta-lactamases, which may be mediated by genes on plasmids or chromosomes. These enzymes confer resistance to a number of penicillin antibiotics by cleaving the beta-lactam ring of penicillins and cephalosporin antibiotics, resulting in inactivation of these … Read more

Bacitracin is a polypeptide antibiotic produced by organisms of the licheniformis group of Bacillus subtilis var Tracy. It is used to determine its effect of a small amount (0.04 IU or 0.05 IU not higher) on different microorganisms. The presumptive identification of beta hemolytic Group A streptococci from beta hemolytic … Read more

Acetamide test is used to test an organism’s ability to utilize acetamide by deamidation. It is used in the qualitative procedures to differentiate non-fermentative, gram negative bacteria, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa, on the basis of acetamide utilization. Objective To differentiate microorganisms based on the ability to … Read more

API identification products are test kits for identification of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and yeast. API strips give accurate identifications based on extensive databases and are standardized, easy-to-use test systems. The kits include strips that contain up to 20 miniature biochemical tests which … Read more

Anaerobic metabolism requires an electron acceptor other than atmospheric oxygen (O2). Many gram-negative bacteria use nitrate as the final electron acceptor. Nitrate reduction test is a test that determines the production of an enzyme called nitrate reductase, which results in the reduction of nitrate (NO3). … Read more

Some microorganisms have an ability to reduce sulfur (Sulphur) containing compounds to hydrogen sulfide during metabolism which is commonly employed as a test measure for their identification in laboratories. Numerous methods are used to detect H2S production by micro-organisms which vary with the source of sulfur … Read more

Lysine iron agar (LIA) slants tests organisms for the ability to deaminate lysine or decarboxylate lysine. Lysine deamination is an aerobic process which occurs on the slant of the media. Lysine decarboxylation is an anaerobic process which occurs in the butt of the media. Principle Lysine iron agar contains lysine, peptones, a small amount of glucose, ferric … Read more

The Kligler’s Iron Agar test employs a medium for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae, based on double sugar fermentation and hydrogen sulphide production. In 1918, Kligler described a medium for detection of H2S and differentiation of Salmonella spp. Bailey and Lacey further modified the medium by … Read more

Hippurate hydrolysis test is used to detect the ability of bacteria to hydrolyse substrate hippurate into glycine and benzoic acid by action of hippuricase enzyme present in bacteria. Hippuricase is a constitutive enzyme that hydrolyzes the substrate hippurate to produce the amino acid glycine. Glycine … Read more