Creative methods to utilize the biochemicals without taking up the space needed for full-size tubes as well as decreasing incubation time, have also been developed over the years. A brief list is included here of manufacturer, general description, and the number of Corynebacterium species that each platform will identify. Each of these platforms also contain coryne-like organisms in the database.
Table 4. Biochemical and Other Testing Methods.| Manufacturer | Name of ID system | Method description | Automated/manual or both types of reading | Incubation time | # of Corynebacterium species in database per package insert |
| bioMerieux, Inc. | API CORYNE | Enzymatic activity or the fermentation of carbohydrates with color change, type in biocode to API webservice for results. | Manual (also need oil overlay for some wells and reagents for others. Requires additional testing of Gram stain and catalase. | 24 hours | 33 |
| ThermoScientific™ | RapID™ CB PLUS System | Combination of conventional tests and single-substrate chromogenic tests (based on enzyme technology) microcode can be looked up in ERIC database or compared to the differential chart supplied in the package insert. | Manual (also needs reagents for some reactions). Requires additional testing of Gram stain and catalase. | 4-6 hours | 24 |
| Becton Dickinson (BD) BBL™ | Crystal™ Gram-Positive ID System | Miniaturized ID method using modified conventional, fluorogenic and chromogenic substrates. | Both (no reagents or oil needed). | 18-24 hours | 16 |
| Bruker (Merlin) | MICRONAUT System | Microtiter plate with ID and susceptibility. | Automated (no reagents or oil needed). | 22-24 hours | 31 |
| bioMerieux™ Vitek | Vitek 2 ANC ID | Enclosed system. Uses a card containing different identification tests | Automated (no reagents or oil needed). | As little as 2 hours | 8 |
| Bectin Dickinson (BD) | Phoenix™ ID | Panels. Modifications of the classical methods. Including fermentation, oxidation, degradation and hydrolysis of various substrates. Also utilizes chromogenic and fluorogenic substrates and single carbon source substrates for ID. | Automated (no reagents or oil needed). Requires additional Gram stain testing. | Up to 16 hours if needed | 15 |
| MIDI | Sherlock™ Microbial ID | Chromatographic Analysis System (CAS) identifies fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) by gas chromatography. The entire fatty acid profile can be compared by pattern recognition to one of Sherlock’s microbial libraries (e.g. environmental aerobic bacteria). | Automated (no Gram stain or other tests needed). | Less than 2 hours | 32 (including subgoups) |
| ThermoFisher | MicroSeq™ | Combines PCR with sequencing through electrophoresis and compare to the library | Automated (no Gram stain or other tests needed). | 5 hours | 50 (as of 2018) |
| Biolog, Inc. | Microbial Identification System | 96 well MicroPlates incorporate a patented Redox tetrazolium dye that changes color from cellular respiration providing a metabolic fingerprint. Results are interpreted from database of organisms. | Automated, semi-automated, or manual (no Gram stain or other tests needed). | As little as 2 hours | 60 |
