Microbiology Lab | Starch Hydrolysis Test (via Amylase)

The video tutorial explains starch hydrolysis, focusing on the enzyme amylase, which breaks down starch into glucose and disaccharides. It describes the starch hydrolysis test used to determine if bacteria produce amylase. The test involves plating bacteria on a starch medium, incubating them, and using an iodide reagent to detect starch presence. A color change indicates whether bacteria are amylase positive or negative, with a clearing showing amylase production and a purple color indicating no amylase.

What is starch hydrolysis and which enzyme is primarily involved in this process?

Explain the difference between amylase positive and amylase negative bacteria.

Describe the procedure of the starch hydrolysis test.

What color change occurs when iodide is added to a plate containing starch, and what does this indicate?

What happens to starch on a plate when bacteria that produce amylase are present?

How can you determine if a species of bacteria produces amylase based on the results of the starch hydrolysis test?

Why is it important to identify whether bacteria are amylase positive or negative?