Biochemical Test of Yersinia pestis
| Basic Characteristics | Properties (Yersinia pestis) |
| Capsule | Positive (+ve) |
| Catalase | Positive (+ve) |
| Citrate | Negative (-ve) |
| Flagella | Non-Flagellated |
| Gas | Negative (-ve) |
| Gelatin Hydrolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Gram Staining | Negative (-ve) |
| Growth in KCN | Negative (-ve) |
| H2S | Negative (-ve) |
| Hemolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Indole | Negative (-ve) |
| Motility | Non-Motile |
| MR (Methyl Red) | Positive (+ve) |
| Nitrate Reduction | Positive (+ve) |
| OF (Oxidative-Fermentative) | Facultative anaerobes |
| Oxidase | Negative (-ve) |
| Pigment | Negative (-ve) |
| Shape | Rods |
| Spore | Negative (-ve) |
| Urease | Negative (-ve) |
| VP (Voges Proskauer) | Negative (-ve) |
Fermentation of |
|
| Adonitol | Negative (-ve) |
| Arabinose | Positive (+ve) |
| Cellobiose | Positive (+ve) |
| DNase | Negative (-ve) |
| Dulcitol | Negative (-ve) |
| Glucose | Positive (+ve) |
| Glycerol | Variable |
| Lactose | Negative (-ve) |
| Malonate | Negative (-ve) |
| Maltose | Positive (+ve) |
| Mannitol | Positive (+ve) |
| Mannose | Positive (+ve) |
| Melibiose | Variable |
| Mucate | Negative (-ve) |
| MyoInositol | Negative (-ve) |
| Raffinose | Negative (-ve) |
| Rhamnose | Negative (-ve) |
| Salicin | Variable |
| Sorbitol | Variable |
| Sorbose | Negative (-ve) |
| Sucrose | Negative (-ve) |
| Tartrate | Negative (-ve) |
| Trehalose | Positive (+ve) |
| Xylose | Positive (+ve) |
Enzymatic Reactions |
|
| Acetate Utilization | Negative (-ve) |
| Aesculine Hydrolysis | Positive (+ve) |
| Arginine Dehydrolase | Negative (-ve) |
| Lipase | Negative (-ve) |
| Lysine | Negative (-ve) |
| ONPG (β-galactosidase) | Positive (+ve) |
| Ornithine Decarboxylase | Negative (-ve) |
| Phenylalanine Deaminase | Negative (-ve) |
Figure: Scanning electron microscope image of Yersinia pestis. Source: www.mirror.co.uk
