Fluorogenic substrates for differentiation of gram-negative nonfermentative and oxidase-positive fermentative bacteria.

A total of 803 strains of gram-negative nonfermentative and oxidase-positive fermentative bacteria (38 taxa) were investigated for their ability to hydrolyze 53 different fluorogenic 4-methylumbelliferyl- and beta-naphthylamide-linked substrates within 6 h of incubation. The hydrolysis of 16 fluorogenic substrates showed high separation index values among the tested taxa, was reproducible, and showed good agreement with data in the literature. In combination with other biochemical tests (like carbon substrate utilization tests and classical biochemical tests), hydrolysis profiles can improve the differentiation of gram-negative nonfermentative and oxidase-positive fermentative bacteria.