- Micrococcus luteus are Gram-positive, to Gram-variable, motile -non motile, that are 0.5 to 3.5 micrometers in diameter and usually arranged in tetrads or irregular clusters.
- They are generally strict aerobes and can generally reduce nitrate.
- M. luteus oxidizes carbohydrates to CO2 and water, and it does not produce acid from glucose as well as it does not make arginine dihydrolase or b-galactosidase.
- Some Micrococcus are pigmented bacteria; for example, M. luteus produces yellow colonies and M. roseus produces redish colonies.
- Micrococcus species are oxidase-positive, which can be used to distinguish them from other bacteria like most Staphylococcus species, which are generally oxidase-negative.
- Defining characteristics of Micrococcus are the ability to aerobically produce acid from glucose glycerol, aesculin hydrolysis, arginine dihydrolase, major pigment production, motility, and conversion of nitrate to nitrite.
Micrococcus luteus in tetrads arrangement
Micrococcus luteus
