UV fluorescence and nitrate reduction are characteristic features of which genus?

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Multiple Choice

UV fluorescence and nitrate reduction are characteristic features of which genus?

Veillonella can be identified by a distinctive combination: it fluoresces under ultraviolet light and it reduces nitrate. This duo of features is a reliable clue for this genus in anaerobic, oral microbiology. Veillonella are small Gram-negative cocci that thrive as obligate anaerobes in dental plaque and mucosal sites. The UV fluorescence comes from pigment-related compounds they produce, so shining UV light makes colonies glow. In addition, their ability to reduce nitrate to nitrite is a helpful biochemical marker. The other genera listed have different staining, pigment, or metabolic profiles and don’t consistently show this same pair of traits, so the combination of UV fluorescence and nitrate reduction points specifically to Veillonella.

Veillonella can be identified by a distinctive combination: it fluoresces under ultraviolet light and it reduces nitrate. This duo of features is a reliable clue for this genus in anaerobic, oral microbiology. Veillonella are small Gram-negative cocci that thrive as obligate anaerobes in dental plaque and mucosal sites. The UV fluorescence comes from pigment-related compounds they produce, so shining UV light makes colonies glow. In addition, their ability to reduce nitrate to nitrite is a helpful biochemical marker. The other genera listed have different staining, pigment, or metabolic profiles and don’t consistently show this same pair of traits, so the combination of UV fluorescence and nitrate reduction points specifically to Veillonella.

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