What property do Streptococcus species exhibit?

Streptococcus species are primarily facultative anaerobes, which means they can grow in both the presence and absence of oxygen. This characteristic allows them to thrive in various environments within the human body, including those with limited oxygen availability. Additionally, Streptococcus species are oxidase negative, indicating that they do not possess the enzyme cytochrome oxidase, which is often used to help identify bacterial species. The absence of this enzyme is a common trait in this group of bacteria.

Another important aspect is that Streptococcus species are typically catalase negative, meaning they do not produce the enzyme catalase that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. This property helps differentiate them from other genera of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, which are catalase positive.

The combination of being facultative anaerobes, oxidase negative, and catalase negative aligns well with the characteristics of Streptococcus species, making the selected answer accurately represent their biological properties.