DETECTION OF CARBOXYPEPTIDASES AS TAXONOMIC MARKERS FOR GRAM-NEGATIVEBACTERIA

The use of seven benzoyl-L-amino acids for the detection of carboxypep tidase activities in strains of Gramnegative aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria is reported. A simple overnight assay was designed using ninhydrin for the demonstration of the amino acid released by h ydrolysis. Detection of carboxypeptidase activity was shown to have so me taxonomic relevance within the Enterobacteriaceae; it was also usef ul for differentiation within the genus Acinetobacter and for distinct ion between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens.