TestOxidase™ Reagent is a qualitative method for the determination of bacterial cytochrome oxidase.
Cytochromes are heme-containing proteins and are oxidative enzymes in the respiratory chain of bacteria which utilize free oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor. TestOxidase™ Reagent reacts with oxidized cytochrome C to form a coloured complex. Therefore, the test is positive for bacteria, which contain cytochrome C as part of their respiratory chain, and negative for bacteria, which do not contain cytochrome C.
TestOxidase™ Reagent is based upon the oxidation of tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine by bacterial cytochrome in the presence of atmospheric oxygen to form a purple coloured compound (Wurster’s blue).
Pro-Lab TestOxidase™ Reagent PL.390 is supplied as 15 ml stable liquid reagent in an opaque dropper vial. Each vial contains sufficient tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine solution for 400 tests.