Bacteria are identified based largely on what organic compounds they can break down. The range of compounds used depends on the collection of enzymes a species of bacteria can make. Phenylalanine is an amino acid that some bacteria can use because of an enzyme called phenylalanine deaminase. Phenylalanine agar is thus used to determine whether the microbe can use the amino acid phenylalanine for carbon and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If phenylalanine can be used, the microbe will accumulate a compound called phenylpyruvate. When the right chemicals are added to the tube, phenylpyruvate is converted to a green compound, indicating a positive test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The medium used is phenylalanine agar, a nutrient medium enriched with 0.2% phenylalanine. It is allowed to solidify at a slant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For information on how to determine the ability of a microbe to produce the enzyme phenylalanine deaminase, refer to the phenylalanine deaminase test<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nVUMIE is the flight simulator of microbiology labs.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n