In: Biology
Phenylalanine deaminase, what is phenylalanine? What would a positive test tube for this in a microbe look like?
Phenylalanine deaminase test:
The phenylalanine deaminase test is also called as the phenylpyruvic acid test (PPA). This test is used to test the ability of the organism to produce the enzyme deaminase. The enzyme removes an amine group from the phenylalanine and produces PPA and ammonia. This process is called as the oxidative deamination of phenylalanine.
How does the positive test for an organism look like?
The positive test is indicated by the production of green color. This is because of the formation of a green colored compound as a result of the reaction between ferric chloride and phenylpyruvic acid. The medium thus turns into a dark green color.
What is phenylalanine?
Phenylalanine is an amino acid that is widely distributed among the plant proteins. It is a benzyl group substituted for the methyl group of the amino acid alanine or a phenyl group instead of a terminal hydrogen of alanine.