confusion with identification of unknown test (M.Luteus)

[jning]

i m quite confused with the results i got from my unknown identification test.according to the prospective results listed out for each of the bacteria, i know the unknown i got is m.luteus.however,how can micrococcus luteus be tested positive in the oxidative tube of oxidative/fermentation of glucose test but negative for glucose/lactose/mannitol test?arent tubes in both tests(except for fermentative tube in O-F test) are incubated under the aerobic condition?how can m.luteus be able to oxidise glucose in O-F test but unable to do so in glucose/mannitol/lactose tube?and one more ques,is the positive results in O-F test solely due to the presence of CO2(end product of respiration) which is acidic and thus be able to cause color change in the tube?hope sb can iron this out for me.thx alot

[supsamuel]

Check out the gram positive aerobic cocci database on this website. It allows you to plug in what test results you know, and compare it to probabilities of known strains, to give a reaction. It will also tell you if one of the results is unexpected.

http://www.microbeid.com