Characterization of Bacteria by Their Degradation of Amino Acids

Abstract

A procedure for detecting the degradation of amino acids by microorganisms is described, and examples of its use in the characterization of bacteria are presented. The procedure involves inoculating a buffered solution of amino acids with a suspension of bacteria, incubating, chromatographing a sample of the suspension, and detecting degradation in terms of absence of ninhydrin-positive spots.