Use of the agar plate test for the enzyme deoxyribonucleate 3'-nucleotidohydrolase (deoxyribonuclease) can result in frequent misdiagnosis of Staphylococcus epidermidis as S. aureus.

MacConkey agar modified with Tween 80, and deoxyribonuclease agar modified with Tween 80 plus sorbitol were used in differentiating Yersinia enterocolitica colonies from other lactose-negative bacterial colonies.

Early stationary-phase cells are most susceptible to infection with deoxyribonucleic acid from bacteriophage TP-1C. Transfection is destroyed by deoxyribonuclease and unaffected by phage antiserum.