mannitolpositive

Mannitolpositive is a term used in microbiology to describe bacteria that are capable of fermenting the sugar alcohol mannitol. This fermentation process produces acid, which lowers the pH of the growth medium. This change in pH can be detected using a pH indicator, such as phenol red, which typically turns yellow in the presence of acid. Therefore, bacteria that are mannitolpositive will cause the medium to change color from red to yellow.

The ability to ferment mannitol is a useful characteristic for the identification and differentiation of various bacterial species. For example, certain staphylococci species are mannitolpositive, while others are mannitolnegative. This distinction can aid in clinical diagnostics and epidemiological studies. Mannitol fermentation tests are commonly performed in microbiology laboratories using specific culture media like mannitol salt agar. This medium contains a high concentration of salt, which inhibits the growth of most bacteria except for staphylococci, and mannitol as the fermentable sugar.

The biochemical pathway for mannitol fermentation involves the uptake of mannitol into the bacterial cell and its subsequent breakdown through glycolysis. The end products of this fermentation can vary depending on the bacterial species, but typically include acidic compounds. The presence of the necessary enzymes for mannitol metabolism is genetically determined. Therefore, the mannitolpositive or mannitolnegative phenotype is a stable trait for a given bacterial strain. Understanding this characteristic is crucial for accurate microbial identification and classification.