Bergeys Manual Chart

Identification flow charts Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology All of the unknowns will fall into the following groups in Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology (The pink book on the shelf in the laboratory). GROUP 4 Description: Gram Negative, Aerobic/Microaerophilic rods and cocci Key differences are: pigments/fluorescent, motility, growth requirements, denitrification, morphology, and oxidase, read Genera descriptions Examples: Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Beijerinckia, Acetobacter GROUP 5 Description: Facultatively Anaerobic Gram negative rods Key differences are: growth factors, morph., gram rxn., oxidase rxn., read Genera descriptions Examples : Family Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae GROUP 17 Description: Gram-Positive Cocci Key differences are: oxygen requirements, morph., growth requirements (45°C and supplements), read Genera descriptions Examples: Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Aerococcus GROUP 18 Description: Endospore-Forming Gram positive rods and cocci Key differences are: oxygen requirements, motility, morph, catalase Examples: Bacillus, Clostridium GROUP 19 Description: Regular, Nonsporlating Gram positive rods Key differences are: morph., oxygen require, catalase Examples: Lactobacillus, Listeria GROUP 20 Description: Irregular, Nonsporlating Gram-positive rods Key differences are: catalase, motility, morph., read Genera descriptions Examples: Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, Propionibacterium GROUP 21 Description: Weakly Gram-Positive Nonsporlating Acid Fast Slender Rods Key differences are: acid fast, growth Examples: Mycobacterium 1 Identification flow charts Differentiation via Gram stains and cell morphology. Gram Stain & Morphological Flowchart Some Examples Gram Positive Cocci Bacilli Filamentous Round in clusters & tetrads: Staphylococcus Micrococcus Peptococcus Oval shape in Chains: Streptococcus Peptostreptococcus Enterococcus Club-shaped and/or in palisades: Corynebacterium Listeria Erysipelothrix Mycobacterium (Acid Fast) Propionobacterium Spore-bearing, large, uniform: Bacillus Clostridium Extensive branching: Actinomyces Arachnia Nocardia (partially acid-fast) Branching rudimentry or absent: Erysipelothrix Lactobacillus Eubacterium Streptomyces Gram Negative Cocci Neisseria Veillonella Bacilli Medium-sized cocco-bacillary: Acinetobacter Moraxella Tiny-coccobacillary: Brucella Bordetella Bacteroides Pleomorphic coccobacillary & filamentous: Haemophilus Bacteroides Pasteurella Francisella Actinobacillus Eikenella Cardiobacterium Flavobacterium 2 Exaggerated pointed ends: Fusobacterium nucleatum Coiled & sphero-plastic: Streptobacillus Fusobacterium Curved, comma-shaped: Vibrio Campylobacter Spirillium Uniformly Bacillary: Enterobacteriaceae Pseudomonas Aeromonas Alcaligenes Chromobacterium Identification flow charts Gram Positive Rods ID Flowchart Gram Positive Rods Bacillus spp. Clostrididium spp. Corynebacterium spp. Lactobacillus spp. Mycobacterium spp. Mycobacterium smegmatis Spore Forming + + - Corynebacterium spp. Lactobacillus spp. Mycobacterium spp. Bacillus spp. Clostridium spp Acid Fast Strict Anaerobes Corynebacterium spp Lactobacillus spp. - + Clostridium spp. Bacillus spp. You sure you have this? Go to Bergey's. See separate flowchart. Catalase + - Corynebacterium spp. Lactobacillus spp. Starch Hydrolysis Glucose Ferm. Activity + Corynebacterium kutsceri Acid Acid & Gas Corynebacterium xerosis Lactobacillus fermenti Lactobacillus casei Lactobacillus delbrueckii Mannitol + Lactobacillus casei 3 - Lactobacillus delbrueckii Identification flow charts Bacillus spp. ID Flowchart Bacillus B. subtilis B. cereus B. megaterium B. stearothermophilus B. polymyxa B. mycoides B. macerans B. thuringiensis B. macquariensis B. licheniformis B. lentus B. alvei B. anthracis B. alcalophilus B. coagulans B. brevis B. circulans B. firmus B. pantothenticus Starch Hydrolysis (amylase) (makes insecticidal protein) B. mycoides B. azotoformans B. larvae B. pasteurii (grows at 55°C, rest no) VP + B. subtilis B. cereus B. polymyxa B. mycoides B. thuringiensis B. licheniformis B. alvei B. anthracis B. coagulans B. megaterium B. stearothermophilus B. macerans B. pantothenticus B. macquariensis B. lentus B. alcalophilus B. badius B. brevis B. circulans B. subtilis B. polymyxa B. lichenifomis B. alvei B. coagulans (colony has a rhizoidal appearance) B. popilliae Catalase (spore is not round, rest are) B. azotoformans Swollen Cell Swollen Cell (containing spore) (containing spore) - B. stearothermophilus B. megaterium (growth at 55°C-rest neg.) + (citrate pos.) B. macerans B. pantothenticus B. macquariensis B. lentus B. badius (citrate neg.) (acid from glucose) B. marinus (acid from glucose) Nitrate Reduction 6.5% NaCl Growth B. coagulans B. licheniformis B. subtilis B. insolitus (oval spore, rest are round) + - B. pasteurii B. sp sphaericus Citrate + - B. sphaericus B. pasteurii B. laterosporus B. alcalophilus B. brevis B. circulans (Motile - It is this one ) B. larvae (gelatinase pos.) B. popilliae (gelatinase neg.) B. insolitus B. laterosporus B. pasteurii B. marinus B. sphaericus (catalase neg.-rest pos.) B. cereus Citrate + + B. badius + - (round spore, rest are oval) B. popilliae B. pasteurii B. lentimorbus B. azotoformans B. badius B. insolitus B. larvae B. laterosporus (add creatine as catalyst w/ reagents) + B. thuringiensis (VP is pos., rest are neg.) B. marinus B. sphaericus B. schlegelii + (the width) (non-motile) B. pumilus - Cell Diamenter ! 1'm B. anthracis spp. B. polymyxa (manitol pos.) B. alvei (manitol neg.) + - B. macerans B. macquariensis B. alcalophilus B. brevis B. circulans B. pantothenticus (acid via arabinose neg.) B. circulans (acid via arabinose pos.) 6.5% NaCl Growth + B. subtilis (no growth at 55°C) Acid from Arabinose B. coagulans - B. licheniformis B. macquariensis (growth at 55°C) (methyl red pos.) B. brevis (methyl red neg.) 4 B. macerans + (gas from glucose pos.) B. alcalophilus (gas from glucose neg., no growth < pH 7.0) B. circulans (gas from glucose neg., growth < pH 7.0) Identification flow charts Gram Positive Cocci ID Flowchart Gram Positive Cocci Streptococcus spp. (see Bergey’s) Micrococcus s pp. Staphylococcus spp. Streptococcus spp. Enterococcus spp. Bile Esculin (growth with esculin hydrolysis) + Catalase - + Micrococcus spp. Staphylococcus spp. Streptococcus pneumoniae Streptococcus mitis Streptococcus pyogenes Group A Streptococcus spp. Group B Enterococcus spp. Streptococcus spp. Enterococcus faecalis Enterococcus faecium Enterococcus hirae Enterococcus mundtii Enterococcus spp. Streptococcus spp. Growth w/ Tellurite Gamma (!) Mannitol Fermentation - + Staphylococcus aureus - Hemolysis Enterococcus faecalis Enterococcus faecium (mannitol pos., white colony) Staphylococcus spp. Micrococcus spp. Enterococcus hirae (mannitol neg.) Enterococcus mundtii (mannitol pos., yellow colony) Beta (') Yellow Pigment (Colony) Alpha (#) + Streptococcus pyogenes Group A Streptococcus spp. Group B - Micrococcus spp. Staphylococcus spp. Pyrrolidonearylamidase (PYR Test) Streptococcus pneumoniae Streptococcus mitis Novobiocin Sensitivity Glucose Fermentation + Micrococcus varians Yes + Streptococcus pyogenes Group A Staphylococcus epidermidis - Micrococcus luteus Streptococcus spp. Group B (Streptococcus agalactiae) agalactiae ) No Staphylococcus saprophyticus Optochin Sensitivity Yes Strept Streptoco ococcu ccuss pneumo pneumonia niaee 5 No Strept Streptoco ococcu ccuss mitis mitis Identification flow charts Gram Negative Rods ID Flowchart Gram Negative Rods Oxidase Test + Enterobacteriaceae (See Separate Flowchartt) Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Vibrio + Acid Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp., Aeromonas spp. - Glucose Fermentation - Acid Pseudomonas spp. Fluorescent Diffusible Yellow Pigment Na+ Required for Growth (Fluorescein)—use (Fluorescein)—use Psuedo F Agar Aeromonas Aeromonas spp. + + VP Vibrio spp. - + A. hydrophila A. salmonicida Luminescent Other Aeromonas Aeromonas spp. (See Bergey's) (subsp. masoucida) - P. P. aeruginosa P. chlororaphis P. cichorii P. fluorescens P. putida P. syringae Other Pseudomonas Pseudomonas spp. (See Bergey's) (Oxidase Neg.) A. sobria (no gas from glucose) A. veronii + - V. fischeri V. logei V. orientalis V. splendidius Non-Fluorescent Non-Fluorescent Diffusible Blue Pigment Other Vibrio Other Vibrio spp. (See Bergey's) (Pyocyanin)—use Psuedo P Agar Motility + Pigment + (Yellow Colony) A. hydrophila A. veronii + - V. fischeri V. logei V. orientalis V. splen didius A. salmonicida (subsp. masoucida) P. chlororaphis P. cichorii P. fluorescens P. putida P. syringae P. aeruginosa H2S Production Nitrate Reduction + A. hydrophila 30°C Growth A. veronii + 37°C Growth + V. fischeri - P. chlororaphis + V. logei V. orientalis (Colony Pigmented) P. fluorescens - (To differentiate Biovars do a lecithinase test) V. sp lendidius 6 P. putida (Lecithinase Neg.) P. syringae (Oxidase Neg.) P. cichorii (Lecithinase Pos.) Identification flow charts Family Enterobacteriaceae Lactose Positive ID Flowchart Family Enterobacteriaceae Lactose Fermentation + Citrobacter diversus Citrobacter freundii Enterobacter aerogenes Enterobacter cloacae Enterobacter amnigenus Enterobacter intermedius Erwinia carotovora - Erwinia chrysanthemi Escherichia coli Klebsiella oxytoca Klebsiella pneumoniae See Lactose Negative Flowchart for Enterobacteriaceae Enterobacteriaceae (subsp. ozaenae and pneumoniae) Serratia fonticola Serratia rubidaea Indole The Rest + Citrobacter diversus Escherichia coli Erwinia chrysanthemi Klebsiella oxytoca MR-VP -/+ +/+ Klebsiella pneumoniae (subsp. pneumoniae) Enterobacter intermedius +/Citrobacter freundii Serratia fonticola Klebsiella pneumoniae Citrate Enterobacter aerogenes Enterobacter cloacae Enterobacter amnigenus Erwinia carotovora Serratia rubidaea (subsp. ozaenae) Lysine Decarboxylase + + - Citrobacter diversus Escherichia coli subsp. pneumoniae Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae Enterobacter cloacae Non-motile, No Pigment (VP neg.) Serratia rubidaea Erwinia chrysanthemi Acid from sorbitol Enterobacter amnigenus Motile, Red pigment (VP and H2S pos.) No acid from sorbitol Enterobacter aerogenes H2S Production Klebsiella oxytoca (VP pos and H2S neg.) Motile, No pigment ?? Erwinia carotovora Lysine unknown but Gelatinase positive; none above are positive. + Citrobacter freundii Serratia fonticola Motility pos. Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. ozaenae Motility neg. 7 Identification flow charts Family Enterobacteriaceae Lactose Negative ID Flowchart Family Enterobacteriaceae Continued Lactose Negative Flow Chart Edwardsiella tarda Erwinia cacticida Morganella morganii Proteus mirabilis Proteus penneri Proteus vulgaris Providencia stuartii Salmonella bongori Salmonella enterica Edwardsiella tarda Morganella morganii Proteus vulgaris Providencia stuartii Serratia marcescens Serratia liquefaciens flexneri) Shigella spp. spp. (boydii, dysenteriae, flexneri) Shigella sonnei Yersinia enterocolitica Yersinia pestis Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Erwinia cacticida Proteus mirabilis Proteus penneri Salmonella bongori Salmonella enterica Serratia marcescens Serratia liquefaciens Shigella sonnei Yersinia pestis Yersinia pseudotuberculosis - + Indole Test Urease + ?? Please See Bergey’s to ID: Shigella spp. Erwinia cacticida Salmonella bongori Salmonella enterica Serratia marcescens Serratia liquefaciens Shigella sonnei Yersinia pestis Proteus mirabilis Ornithine decarb. pos. flexneri) (boydii, dysenteriae, flexneri) Proteus penneri Yersinia enterocolitica Ornithine decarb. neg., motile H2S Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Ornithine decarb. neg., non-motile + - Edwardsiella tarda Proteus vulgaris Morganella morganii Providencia stuartii Motility + - Erwinia cacticida Shigella sonnei Yersinia pestis (lysine decarb. neg., the rest pos.) Urease Salmonella bongori Salmonella choleraesuis Serratia marcescens Serratia liquefaciens Ornithine Decarboxylase + + Proteus vulgaris Providencia stuartii Ornithine Decarboxylase Edwardsiella tarda Morganella morganii H2S + Shigella sonnei + - Salmonella bongori Serratia marcescens KCN growth pos. Red pigment Salmonella enterica KCN growth neg. Serratia liquefaciens No Red pigment (It is this one) 8 Yersinia pestis

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Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology
All of the unknowns will fall into the following groups in Bergey's Manual of Determinative
Bacteriology (The pink book on the shelf in the laboratory).

GROUP 4
Description: Gram Negative, Aerobic/Microaerophilic rods and cocci
Key differences are: pigments/fluorescent, motility, growth requirements, denitrification,
morphology, and oxidase, read Genera descriptions
Examples: Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Beijerinckia, Acetobacter

GROUP 5
Description: Facultatively Anaerobic Gram negative rods
Key differences are: growth factors, morph., gram rxn., oxidase rxn., read Genera descriptions
Examples: Family Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae

GROUP 17
Description: Gram-Positive Cocci
Key differences are: oxygen requirements, morph., growth requirements (45°C and supplements),
read Genera descriptions
Examples: Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Aerococcus

GROUP 18
Description: Endospore-Forming Gram positive rods and cocci
Key differences are: oxygen requirements, motility, morph, catalase
Examples: Bacillus, Clostridium

GROUP 19
Description: Regular, Nonsporlating Gram positive rods
Key differences are: morph., oxygen require, catalase
Examples: Lactobacillus, Listeria

GROUP 20
Description: Irregular, Nonsporlating Gram-positive rods
Key differences are: catalase, motility, morph., read Genera descriptions
Examples: Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, Propionibacterium

GROUP 21
Description: Weakly Gram-Positive Nonsporlating Acid Fast Slender Rods
Key differences are: acid fast, growth
Examples: Mycobacterium

1
Identification flow charts

Differentiation via Gram stains and cell morphology.

Gram Stain & Morphological
Flowchart
Some Examples

Gram Positive
Cocci Bacilli

Filamentous
Round in clusters Oval shape in Club-shaped and/or in Spore-bearing,
& tetrads: Chains: palisades: large, uniform:
Staphylococcus Streptococcus Corynebacterium Bacillus
Micrococcus Peptostreptococcus Listeria Clostridium Extensive Branching rudi-
Peptococcus Enterococcus Erysipelothrix branching: mentry or absent:
Mycobacterium (Acid Fast) Actinomyces Erysipelothrix
Propionobacterium Arachnia Lactobacillus
Nocardia (partially Eubacterium
acid-fast)
Streptomyces

Gram Negative

Cocci Bacilli

Neisseria Medium-sized Tiny-cocco- Pleomorphic Exaggerated Curved, Uniformly
Veillonella cocco-bacillary: bacillary: coccobacillary pointed ends: comma-shaped: Bacillary:
Acinetobacter Brucella & filamentous: Fusobacterium Vibrio Enterobacteriaceae
Moraxella Bordetella Haemophilus nucleatum Campylobacter Pseudomonas
Bacteroides Bacteroides Spirillium Aeromonas
Pasteurella Alcaligenes
Francisella Chromobacterium
Actinobacillus Coiled &
Eikenella sphero-plastic:
Cardiobacterium Streptobacillus
Flavobacterium Fusobacterium

2
Identification flow charts
Gram Positive Rods ID Flowchart

Gram Positive Rods

Bacillus spp.
Clostrididium spp.
Corynebacterium spp.
Lactobacillus spp.
Mycobacterium spp.

Mycobacterium smegmatis
Spore Forming

+ - +

Bacillus spp. Corynebacterium spp.
Clostridium spp Lactobacillus spp. Acid Fast
Mycobacterium spp.

-
Strict Anaerobes Corynebacterium spp
Lactobacillus spp.
+ -

Clostridium spp. Bacillus spp.
You sure you have this? See separate flowchart.
Go to Bergey's. Catalase

+ -
Corynebacterium spp. Lactobacillus spp.

Starch Hydrolysis

Glucose Ferm. Activity

+ -

Acid & Gas Acid
Corynebacterium kutsceri Corynebacterium xerosis
Lactobacillus fermenti Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus delbrueckii

Mannitol

+ -
Lactobacillus casei Lactobacillus delbrueckii

Bergey

3
Identification flow charts
Bacillus spp. ID Flowchart

Bacillus spp.
Starch Hydrolysis B. pumilus
(amylase) (VP is pos., rest are neg.)
B. subtilis
B. marinus
B. cereus - B. sphaericus
B. azotoformans
B. megaterium B. larvae
B. stearothermophilus B. schlegelii B. pasteurii
B. polymyxa
+ (grows at 55°C, rest no) (round spore, rest
B. popilliae are oval)
B. mycoides VP B. pasteurii B. popilliae
B. macerans (add creatine as catalyst B. lentimorbus
B. thuringiensis w/ reagents) -
B. azotoformans
B. macquariensis
B. badius
B. licheniformis
B. insolitus
B. lentus + - B. larvae
B. alvei
B. subtilis B. megaterium B. laterosporus Catalase Citrate
B. anthracis
B. alcalophilus B. cereus B. stearothermophilus
B. coagulans B. polymyxa B. macerans
B. mycoides B. pantothenticus + +
B. brevis
B. macquariensis B. badius -
B. circulans B. thuringiensis
B. licheniformis B. lentus (spore is not
B. firmus round, rest are) B. azotoformans B. larvae
B. pantothenticus B. alvei B. alcalophilus (gelatinase pos.)
B. badius B. insolitus
B. anthracis B. popilliae
B. brevis B. laterosporus
B. coagulans (gelatinase neg.)
B. circulans B. pasteurii
B. marinus
B. sphaericus
Cell Diamenter ! 1'm Swollen Cell Swollen Cell
(the width) (containing spore) (containing spore)

+ - + -
B. anthracis B. subtilis B. stearothermophilus B. megaterium + -
(non-motile) B. polymyxa (growth at 55°C-rest neg.) (citrate pos.)
B. thuringiensis B. lichenifomis B. macerans B. badius B. sphaericus B. insolitus
(makes insecticidal B. alvei B. pantothenticus (citrate neg.) B. pasteurii (acid from glucose)
protein)
B. coagulans B. macquariensis B. laterosporus B. marinus
B. mycoides B. lentus (oval spore, (acid from glucose)
(colony has a (catalase neg.-rest pos.) rest are round)
rhizoidal appearance) B. alcalophilus
B. cereus B. brevis
(Motile - It is this B. circulans
one ) Nitrate Reduction

Citrate + -
6.5% NaCl Growth B. pasteurii B. sphaericus
+ -
B. coagulans B. polymyxa + -
B. licheniformis (manitol pos.)
B. subtilis B. alvei B. macerans B. pantothenticus
(manitol neg.) B. macquariensis (acid via arabinose neg.)
B. alcalophilus B. circulans
B. brevis (acid via arabinose pos.)
B. circulans

6.5% NaCl Growth

B. macerans
+ - Acid from Arabinose
+ (gas from glucose pos.)
B. alcalophilus
B. subtilis B. coagulans - (gas from glucose neg.,
(no growth at 55°C) no growth < pH 7.0)
B. licheniformis B. macquariensis B. circulans
(growth at 55°C) (methyl red pos.) (gas from glucose neg.,
B. brevis growth < pH 7.0)
(methyl red neg.)

4
Identification flow charts
Gram Positive Cocci ID Flowchart

Gram Positive Cocci
Streptococcus spp.
Micrococcus spp. - (see Bergey’s)
Staphylococcus spp.
Streptococcus spp. Bile Esculin
Enterococcus spp. (growth with esculin hydrolysis) Enterococcus faecalis
Enterococcus faecium
Enterococcus hirae
+ Enterococcus mundtii
Catalase -
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus mitis
Streptococcus pyogenes Group A
+ Streptococcus spp. Group B
Enterococcus spp. Enterococcus spp.
Micrococcus spp. Streptococcus spp. Streptococcus spp.
Staphylococcus spp.
Growth w/ Tellurite
Gamma (!)

Mannitol Fermentation
+ -
- Hemolysis
+ Enterococcus faecalis Enterococcus faecium
Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus spp. (mannitol pos., white colony)
Micrococcus spp. Enterococcus hirae
(mannitol neg.)
Enterococcus mundtii
(mannitol pos., yellow colony)
Beta (')
Yellow Pigment (Colony)
Alpha (#)
Streptococcus pyogenes Group A
+ - Streptococcus spp. Group B
Micrococcus spp. Staphylococcus spp.

Pyrrolidonearylamidase
(PYR Test)

Glucose Fermentation Novobiocin Sensitivity Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus mitis

+
Micrococcus varians Yes +
Streptococcus pyogenes Group A
Staphylococcus epidermidis -
- - No Streptococcus spp. Group B
(Streptococcus agalactiae)
Micrococcus luteus Staphylococcus saprophyticus

Optochin Sensitivity

Yes No

Streptococcus pneumoniae Streptococcus mitis

5
Identification flow charts
Gram Negative Rods ID Flowchart

Gram Negative Rods
Oxidase Test -
+
Enterobacteriaceae
Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, Vibrio (See Separate Flowchartt)

+ Acid - Acid
Vibrio spp., Aeromonas spp. Glucose Fermentation Pseudomonas spp.

Fluorescent Diffusible Yellow Pigment
Na+ Required for Growth (Fluorescein)—use Psuedo F Agar
-
Aeromonas spp.

+ -
+
VP P. aeruginosa Other Pseudomonas spp.
Vibrio spp. P. chlororaphis (See Bergey's)
- P. cichorii
+
P. fluorescens
A. hydrophila Other Aeromonas spp. P. putida
A. salmonicida (See Bergey's) P. syringae
Luminescent (subsp. masoucida) (Oxidase Neg.)
A. sobria
(no gas from glucose)
A. veronii
+ -
Non-Fluorescent Diffusible Blue Pigment
V. fischeri Other Vibrio spp. (Pyocyanin)—use Psuedo P Agar
V. logei (See Bergey's)
V. orientalis
V. splendidius Motility

- +
P. chlororaphis P. aeruginosa
- P. cichorii
Pigment + P. fluorescens
(Yellow Colony) A. hydrophila P. putida
A. salmonicida
A. veronii (subsp. masoucida) P. syringae

+ -
V. fischeri V. orientalis
V. logei V. splendidius
H2S Production
Nitrate Reduction

+ -
A. hydrophila A. veronii
+ -
30°C Growth 37°C Growth
P. putida
P. chlororaphis
+ + (Colony Pigmented)
(Lecithinase Neg.)
P. syringae
V. fischeri V. orientalis P. fluorescens (Oxidase Neg.)
- - (To differentiate Biovars
do a lecithinase test)
P. cichorii
V. logei V. splendidius (Lecithinase Pos.)

6
Identification flow charts
Family Enterobacteriaceae Lactose Positive ID Flowchart

Family Enterobacteriaceae
Lactose Fermentation

+ -

Bergey's Manual Chart Gram Positive Rod

Citrobacter diversus Erwinia chrysanthemi See Lactose Negative Flowchart
Citrobacter freundii Escherichia coli for Enterobacteriaceae
Enterobacter aerogenes Klebsiella oxytoca
Enterobacter cloacae Klebsiella pneumoniae
Enterobacter amnigenus (subsp. ozaenae and pneumoniae)
Enterobacter intermedius Serratia fonticola
Erwinia carotovora Serratia rubidaea

Indole

-
The Rest
+
Citrobacter diversus
Escherichia coli
Erwinia chrysanthemi
MR-VP
Klebsiella oxytoca +/+ -/+ Klebsiella pneumoniae
(subsp. pneumoniae)
Enterobacter intermedius Enterobacter aerogenes
Enterobacter cloacae
Enterobacter amnigenus
+/- Erwinia carotovora
Citrobacter freundii Serratia rubidaea
Citrate Serratia fonticola
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(subsp. ozaenae)

Lysine Decarboxylase

+ -
+ -
Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae Enterobacter cloacae
Citrobacter diversus Escherichia coli Non-motile, No Pigment Acid from sorbitol
(VP neg.) Serratia rubidaea Enterobacter amnigenus
Erwinia chrysanthemi Motile, Red pigment No acid from sorbitol
(VP and H2S pos.) Enterobacter aerogenes
Klebsiella oxytoca H2S Production Motile, No pigment
(VP pos and H2S neg.)

??

Erwinia carotovora
Lysine unknown but Gelatinase
positive; none above are positive.
+ -
Citrobacter freundii Serratia fonticola
Motility pos.
Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. ozaenae
Motility neg.

7
Identification flow charts
Family Enterobacteriaceae Lactose Negative ID Flowchart

Family Enterobacteriaceae Continued
Lactose Negative Flow Chart
Erwinia cacticida
Proteus mirabilis
Edwardsiella tarda Proteus penneri
Erwinia cacticida Serratia marcescens Salmonella bongori
Morganella morganii Serratia liquefaciens Salmonella enterica
Proteus mirabilis Shigella spp. (boydii, dysenteriae, flexneri) Serratia marcescens
Proteus penneri Shigella sonnei Serratia liquefaciens
Proteus vulgaris Yersinia enterocolitica Shigella sonnei
Providencia stuartii Yersinia pestis - Yersinia pestis
Salmonella bongori Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
Salmonella enterica

+ Indole Test
Edwardsiella tarda
Morganella morganii
Urease
Proteus vulgaris
Providencia stuartii ?? + -
Please See Bergey’s to ID: Erwinia cacticida
Shigella spp. Proteus mirabilis
(boydii, dysenteriae, flexneri) Ornithine decarb. pos. Salmonella bongori
Yersinia enterocolitica Proteus penneri Salmonella enterica
Ornithine decarb. neg., motile Serratia marcescens
H2S Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Serratia liquefaciens
Ornithine decarb. neg., non-motile Shigella sonnei
Yersinia pestis

+ -
Edwardsiella tarda Morganella morganii
Motility
Proteus vulgaris Providencia stuartii
+ -
Erwinia cacticida Shigella sonnei
(lysine decarb. neg., the rest pos.) Yersinia pestis
Urease Ornithine Decarboxylase Salmonella bongori
Salmonella choleraesuis
Serratia marcescens
Serratia liquefaciens
+ +
Proteus vulgaris Providencia stuartii
Ornithine Decarboxylase
- -
Edwardsiella tarda Morganella morganii
H2S

+
Shigella sonnei -
+ -
Yersinia pestis
Salmonella bongori Serratia marcescens
KCN growth pos. Red pigment
Salmonella enterica Serratia liquefaciens
KCN growth neg. No Red pigment
(It is this one)

Bergey's Manual Identification Chart

8

How does one go about identifying an isolate when there are well over 400 known bacterial genera and more than 35,000 identified species? Fortunately, the American Society for Microbiology (originally the Society of American Bacteriologists) has for decades published a compilation of known bacteria, first as Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology and more recently as Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology.

Multiple editions of Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, published between 1923 and 1994, organized bacteria in groups by phenotypic characteristics, with no attempt to sort out higher phylogenetic relationships. They were very useful for identifying unknown bacterial cultures, however. In lab, you will use the most recent edition of Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, published in 1994 and reprinted in 2000, to help you identify your isolates.

The first edition of Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, which came out in four volumes from 1984 through 1989, attempted to organize bacterial species according to known phylogenetic relationships, an approach that continued with a second edition, published in five volumes from 2001 through 2012. The organization of Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology makes it impractical for helping place unknown bacteria into major taxa, but it contains far more detail on the families, genera, and species and is far more up to date than the Determinative manual. You will need to consult this information in order to double check and finalize your identifications.

Using the Determinative manual

We have enough copies of the physical manual to issue one copy per team of three or four students. We will require a $40 refundable deposit to cover loss of the volume if it is not returned. Please read the rest of this page after your team has obtained its copy.

Read over Chapters I and II, which describe how to approach identification of a bacterial isolate. Chapter V of the Manual provides descriptions of all of the major Groups of bacteria, organized by phenotype. The following observations, listed in order of importance, will help you identify the Group to which your isolate most likely belongs. Remember, you must have a pure culture before conducting these observations.

Observations to be conducted on all isolates

Gram positive or Gram negative. The Gram stain result (positive or negative) is the single most important step in differentiating major taxa. You must be certain of this result or your identification effort may be doomed from the start. See the document on preparing and interpreting Gram stains (Gram_stain.asp) for more details

Relationship to oxygen. It is critical that you correctly identify your isolate as either an obligate aerobe (requires oxygen), a facultative anaerobe (can grow w/o oxygen), or a microaerophil. Microaerophils, which grow only in the presence of low partial pressures of oxygen, are uncommon but will grow in our laboratory. We will not find obligate anaerobes, which cannot grow in the presence of oxygen.

Cell morphology. Cocci are spherical or nearly sperical bacterial cells that might also be described as coccoid. A bacterial rod has definite long and short axes, resembling a cylinder, often with rounded ends. We also have curved bacteria, and less commonly spiral or helical bacteria (having at least one full turn), branching cells, budding cells, club shaped cells, and cells with stalks.

Cell aggregations. Cells might appear singly, in pairs, in tetrads, in clusters, in long or short chains, etc.

Cell dimensions. With the exception of true cocci, individual cells of a pure culture typically vary widely in length, though not usually in diameter. At 1000x we can estimate a dimension to the nearest 1/2, maybe 1/3 of a micrometer.

Motility. Does a wet mount of living bacteria reveal active movement? Use motility as a criterion for choosing a group, but not for ruling out a group. Some motile species are notorious for not revealing motillity under the microscope. You are strongly advised to record your observations as 'motile' or 'motility not observed,' never simply as 'nonmotile.'

Oxidase test. The oxidase test checks for the presence of cytochrome oxidase, used in oxidative metabolism. It is particularly useful for distinguishing groups of Gram negative organisms. We run the test on all of our isolates because it is very quick and inexpensive, although it may not be a useful differential characteristic for all of your isolates.

Bergey's Manual Chart

Catalase test. This one tests for the presence of an enzyme, catalase, that destroys oxygen radicals, toxic byproducts of an oxidative metabolism. Like the oxidase test, this one will be helpful in identifying some of your isolates, but probably not all. It is, however, very cheap, fast, and easy to do.

Colony characteristics. Characteristics such as color, texture, margin, etc. are useful for confirming that you are in the correct taxonomic group. See the document on describing colony morphology (describing_colonies.asp) for details.

Narrowing down the possible taxa

Your initial phenotypic observations should enable you to place each of your isolates into one or perhaps two Groups of bacteria. From there, you should be able to conduct additional assays and observations that lead you to a specific genus and (hopefully) species. The introduction to each Group chapter refers to a table of differential characteristics, which will be your starting point. Use the table to narrow your choices to a few or even just one taxon, then continue logically from there. As you proceed:

  • Ensure that you start with a pure culture
  • Start with the broadest categories and work down to smaller more specific categories of bacteria
    • Use common sense as you proceed
    • Use the minimum number of tests needed to make an identification
    • Be aware of possible complications associated with each test
  • If available, compare the isolate to the appropriate type strain in the laboratory

The results of some assays will vary with size of inoculum, temperature, time of incubation, type of medium, gas content of the medium, etc. Some subjectivity may be involved, for example, positive and negative tests may be difficult to distinguish at times. Furthermore, different strains of some species may give different results. Frequently it is more important to recognize the pattern of results than to rely heavily on results of one or two tests.

In the tables, the most discriminatory tests are listed first, so it is advisable to work from the top down once a category is established. Below is a key to the symbols used in the tables.

90% or more of strains are positive

-
90% or more of strains are negative
11-89% of strains are positive
v
strain instability (not the same as 'd')
different reactions in different taxa

Using the Systematic manual (on line)

The primary purpose of this five volume set to provide detailed information on bacterial classification and detailed characteristics of taxa and species. The volumes are organized according to molecular classification systems including 16s RNA sequences rather than by phenotypic characteristics, making them of little use in systematically identifying isolates. The manual will, however, be very valuable for obtaining detailed information once you have narrowed your search.

  • Considering our sources of bacteria you are unikely to need Volume 1.
  • Volume 2 of the Manual covers the Proteobacteria (most gram negative bacteria) in three parts. The majority of gram negatives will be found in part B. Look in part C if a description of your species is not in volume 2B.
  • Volume 3 covers the Firmicutes (most of the gram positive bacteria).
  • Volume 4 covers a variety of other bacteria including the spirochaetes, a species of which we found in pond water some years ago.
  • Volume 5 includes the Actinobacteria (gram positive bacteria with high G+C content); if you cannot find your Gram + species in the index to Vol. 3 then you might try here.

Volumes 2-5 are availalbe on line to any Rice student by logging in to the Fondren Library web page using your netID and password. To access the online Manual start with the Fondren Library home page (http://library.rice.edu/).

  1. In the drop-down menu under Catalog, select OneSearch
  2. Type 'bergey's ' in the field at the very top and hit return or enter or click on Search
  3. Scroll down to the Bergey's volume that you want and click on the 'online access' link (not on the volume title)
  4. Click on the Read Online button

When you think you have identified the species look it up in the index and review the descriptions of both the genus and the species itself. You are strongly advised to use the Index to search directly for your species rather than to try to browse the volume. To the left are the book's contents. Scroll all the way down to quickly get to the index of scientific names. Note that a page number in boldface type denotes a page on which descriptive information is found. Page numbers not in boldface refer to mere mention of the taxon (often as part of a citation) and are not likely to include useful information for you.

If you have trouble finding your species

If your genus/species is listed in the index but there are no page numbers in boldface type, then you are definitely in the wrong volume. A Google search of the genus or species usually turns up a page that gives taxonomic information. Wikipedia listings, for example, may have a column titled 'Scientific classification' that lists kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, and genus. Phylum and class will direct you to the correct Bergey's volume.

If your genus/species is not listed in the index at all, then either you are in the wrong volume, your species has been reassigned to a new genus, or both. Based upon what we have learned about phylogenetic relationships since the 1994 publication of the last Determinative volume, many species have been reassigned to different genera and whole new genera created. If there has been a name change then a Google search should turn up the information you need in order to find the Bergey's volume and listing. For example, in the Determinative manual, under Group 17 Gram-Positive Cocci, you will find the genus Micrococcus. Some species under Micrococcus have been reassigned to Kocuria.