Citrate utilisation testing.

Question 1

What is citrate utilisation testing?

Answer 1

Citrate utilisation testing is a test used to differentiate bacteria based on their ability to use citrate as an energy source.

Question 2

What is the basis of citrate utilisation testing?

Answer 2

The basis of citrate utilisation testing is that citrate can be converted to pyruvate via citrate permease which can be used at the start of the Krebs cycle. When the citrate is metabolised, the ammonium salts are broken down into ammonia which increases the media’s alkalinity which is detected by bromothymol blue, causing a colour change from green to blue.