Final answer:
Staphylococcus can be differentiated from Streptococcus by the catalase test. Staphylococcus is catalase-positive, while Streptococcus is catalase-negative.
Step-by-step explanation:
Staphylococcus can be differentiated from Streptococcus by the catalase test. This is because Staphylococcus species are catalase-positive, which means they produce the enzyme catalase, allowing them to break down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. On the other hand, Streptococcus species are catalase-negative and do not produce this enzyme. Additionally, while not the primary differentiator, Staphylococcus aureus can be further distinguished from other Staphylococcus species by the coagulase test, as S. aureus is coagulase-positive, which denotes its ability to clot blood.
Other distinguishing tests include culturing on mannitol salt agar. Coagulase-positive species like S. aureus ferment mannitol, changing the color of the medium to yellow, while coagulase-negative species (CONS) like S. epidermidis do not ferment mannitol. However, the catalase test remains the primary initial test to distinguish between the genera Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.