A technician is reading the biochemical tests for identifying a particular gram-negative rod. The organism has produced acid, indicated by a color change, in the closed tube only. This indicates that the organism is
A) an oxidizer.
B) a fermenter.
C) both an oxidizer and a fermenter.
D) a reducer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the organism produced acid in the closed tube only indicates that it is a fermenter. Fermenters produce acid as a byproduct of glucose metabolism in the absence of oxygen. Oxidizers, on the other hand, use oxygen as the final electron acceptor in their metabolic pathways and do not produce acid. The information provided does not allow for a determination of whether the organism is also an oxidizer or reducer.

A Technician Is Reading the Biochemical Tests for Identifying a Particular