What is the relationship between the Gram stain and the cell wall structure?
The Gram stain procedure distinguishes between Gram positive and Gram negative groups by coloring these cells red or violet. Gram positive bacteria stain violet due to the presence of a thick layer of peptidoglycan in their cell walls, which retains the crystal violet these cells are stained with.
Why is cell wall important in Gram staining?
The basic principle of gram staining involves the ability of the bacterial cell wall to retain the crystal violet dye during solvent treatment. Gram-positive microorganisms have higher peptidoglycan content, whereas gram-negative organisms have higher lipid content.
What is responsible for the differences in the Gram staining reactions?
The differences in cell wall composition of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria account for the Gram staining differences. Gram-positive cell wall contains a thick layer of peptidoglycan with numerous teichoic acid cross-linking which resists the decolorization.
What is the theory about the mechanism of the Gram stain reaction?
What is the current theory about the mechanism of the gram stain reaction? The gram stain is a basic differential stain used to determine if a bacterial cell is gram positive or negative. Gram positive cells have a thick peptidoglycan layer that will trap the crystal violet iodine crystals and appear purple.
Why is it important to know Gram positive or negative?
The main benefit of a gram stain is that it helps your doctor learn if you have a bacterial infection, and it determines what type of bacteria are causing it. This can help your doctor determine an effective treatment plan.
What color is gram positive and negative?
For a video of the Gram stain procedure click here . GRAM POSITIVE BACTERIA ARE PURPLE. Gram negative organisms are Red.
What is the most important step in gram staining?
The thickness of the smear used in the Gram stain will affect the result of the stain. The step that is most crucial in effecting the outcome of the stain is the decolorizing step.
How is Gram staining used to differentiate bacteria?
Gram staining is a common technique used to differentiate two large groups of bacteria based on their different cell wall constituents.
Why are differential staining methods used in biology?
Differential staining methods, which typically require more than one stain and several steps, are referred to as such because they permit the differentiation of cell types or cell structures. The most important of these is the Gram stain.
What causes Gram positive bacteria to stain Violet?
Gram positive bacteria stain violet due to the presence of a thick layer of peptidoglycan in their cell walls, which retains the crystal violet these cells are stained with. Alternatively, Gram negative bacteria stain red, which is attributed to a thinner peptidoglycan wall, which does not retain the crystal violet during the decoloring process.
How are stains used to improve cell morphology?
The use of stains that react chemically with cell material will enhance the contrast between the cell and the background. A stain is a dye consisting of a colored ion (a chromophore) and a counter ion to balance the charge. Attachment of the chromo-phore part of the dye complex to a cellular component represents the staining reaction.