Differentiation of Serratia Marcescens and Serratia Liquefaciens by Tests for Lipase and Phospholipase Production

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Abstract
The production of lipase and phospholipase by certain members of the Enterobacteriaceae was examined by TLC of resting-cell suspensions incubated with triolein or lecithin. Most strains of Serratia marcescens produced both enzymes while most strains of S. liquefaciens exhibited strong lipase but only a minor phospholipase activity. Enterobacter spp. (25 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (20 strains), Escherichia coli (15 strains), Citrobacter freundii (7 strains) and Proteus spp. (20 strains) lacked both types of enzymic activity except for the following: 3 strains of Enterobacter cloacae, 2 of Proteus mirabilis and 3 of P. vulgaris possessed slight lipase activity; about 1/2 of the Enterobacter aerogenes and E. hafniae strains examined produced slight phospholipase activity. Tests for lipase and phospholipase should be used in conjunction with those for DNase production and sugar fermentation for the differentiation of S. marcescens and S. liquefaciens.

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