Biochemical Test of Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Biochemical Test of Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Basic Characteristics Properties (E. coli)
Capsule Capsulated
Catalase Positive (+ve)
Citrate Negative (-ve)
Coagulase Negative (-ve)
Flagella Flagellated
Gas Positive (+ve)
Gelatin Hydrolysis Negative (-ve)
Gram Staining Negative (-ve)
Growth in KCN Negative (-ve)
H2S Negative (-ve)
Hemolysis Negative (-ve)
Indole Positive (+ve)
Motility Motile
MR (Methyl Red) Positive (+ve)
Nitrate Reduction Positive (+ve)
OF (Oxidative-Fermentative) Fermentative
Oxidase Negative (-ve)
Pigment Negative (-ve)
PYR Negative (-ve)
Shape Rod
Spore Non-Sporing
TSIA (Triple Sugar Iron Agar) Acid/Acid, Gas +ve
Urease Negative (-ve)
VP (Voges Proskauer) Negative (-ve)

Fermentation of

Adonitol Negative (-ve)
Arabinose Positive (+ve)
Arabitol Negative (-ve)
Cellobiose Negative (-ve)
DNase Negative (-ve)
Dulcitol Variable
Erythritol Negative (-ve)
Glucose Positive (+ve)
Glycerol Variable
Lactose Positive (+ve)
Malonate Negative (-ve)
Maltose Positive (+ve)
Mannitol Positive (+ve)
Mannose Positive (+ve)
Melibiose Positive (+ve)
Mucate Positive (+ve)
Myo-Inositol Negative (-ve)
Raffinose Variable
Rhamnose Positive (+ve)
Salicin Variable
Sorbitol Positive (+ve)
Sucrose Variable
Tartrate Positive (+ve)
Trehalose Positive (+ve)
Xylose Positive (+ve)

Enzymatic Reactions

Acetate Utilization Positive (+ve)
Aesculine Hydrolysis Variable
Arginine Dihydrolase Negative (-ve)
Beta Lactamase Positive (+ve)
Esculin Hydrolysis Variable
Lipase Negative (-ve)
Lysine Decarboxylase Positive (+ve)
ONPG (β-galactosidase) Positive (+ve)
Ornithine Decarboxylase Variable
Phenylalanine Deaminase Negative (-ve)

Escherichia coli (E. coli) Gram Stain

Figure: Gram Stain of E. coli. Source: Art.com

About Author

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Sagar Aryal

Sagar Aryal is a microbiologist and a scientific blogger. He attended St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar, Kathmandu, Nepal, to complete his Master of Science in Microbiology. He worked as a Lecturer at St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar, Kathmandu, Nepal, from Feb 2015 to June 2019. After teaching microbiology for more than four years, he joined the Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, to pursue his Ph.D. in collaboration with Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Saarbrucken, Germany. He is interested in research on actinobacteria, myxobacteria, and natural products. He has published more than 15 research articles and book chapters in international journals and well-renowned publishers.

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