TABLE 4.

Phenotypic characterization of the E. faecium strains studied^a

Characteristic	% of strains showing characteristic in genomic group:
	I (n = 62)	II (n = 16)
Acetoin production	97	94
Alanine-phenylalanine-proline arylamidase	2	0
Pyroglutamic acid arylamidase	98	100
Glycyl-tryptophan arylamidase	59	50
α-Galactosidase	34	63
β-Galactosidase	10	0
β-Galactosidaseb	84	81
β-Glucosidase	82	100
N-Acetyl-β-glucosaminidase	49	69
Hydrolysis of hippurate	51	44
β-Mannosidase	75	87
Acidification of:
l-Arabinose	92	81
d-Arabitol	2	6
Cyclodextrin	75	100
Methyl-β-d-glucopyranoside	80	81
Glycogen	0	19
Lactose	98	88
Mannitol	80	100
Melezitose	0	19
Melibiose	28	60
Raffinose	2	31
Saccharose	62	88
Sorbitol	0	19
Tagatose	13	38
Trehalose	97	100

^aAll strains were positive for the arginine dihydrolase enzyme activity and acidification of maltose and ribose. None of the strains showed β-glucuronidase, alkaline phosphatase, or urease enzyme activity or acidified pullulane.

^bMeasured by addition of Fast Blue BB reagent.