Morphological characteristics of E. coli
| Characteristics | E. coli |
| Gram Staining | Negative |
| Shape (Cocci/Diplococci/Rods) | Rods |
| Motility (Motile / Non-Motile) | Motile |
| Capsule (Capsulated/Non-Capsulated) | Variable |
| Spore (Sporing/Non-Sporing) | Non-Sporing |
| Flagella (Flagellated/Non-Flagellated) | Flagellated |
Biochemical tests for the identification of E. coli
| Catalase | Positive (+ve) |
| Oxidase | Negative (-ve) |
| MR | Positive (+ve) |
| VP | Negative (-ve) |
| OF (Oxidative/Fermentative) | Fermentative |
| Indole | Positive (+ve) |
| Citrate | Negative (-ve) |
| Urease | Negative (-ve) |
| Nitrate Reduction | Positive (+ve) |
| H2S | Negative (-ve) |
| Gas | Positive (+ve) |
| Gelatin | Negative (-ve) |
| Hemolysis (Alfa/Beta/Gamma) | Some Strains shows Hemolysis |
Fermentation by E. coli
| Arabinose | Positive (+ve) |
| DNase | Negative (-ve) |
| Glucose | Positive (+ve) |
| Inositol | Negative (+ve) |
| Lactose | Positive (+ve) |
| Mannitol | Positive (+ve) |
| Sorbitol | Positive (+ve) |
| Sucrose | Variable |
Enzymatic Reactions of E. coli
| Acetate Utilization | Positive (+ve) |
| Arginine dehydrolase | Variable |
| Lysine | Positive (+ve) |
| ONPG Test | Positive (+ve) |
| Ornithine decarboxylase | Variable |
| Phenylalanine deaminase | Negative (-ve) |
