Answered

What reagent is used to decolorize Gram-negative bacteria and differentiate it from Gram-positive bacteria?



Answer :

Final answer:

Alcohol in Gram staining removes stains from Gram-negative cells, and Gram-positive cells remain purple after the procedure.


Explanation:

The Role of Alcohol in Gram Stain Procedure

Alcohol serves as a decolorizer in the Gram stain process. It removes the crystal violet/iodine complex from Gram-negative cell walls, distinguishing them from Gram-positive cells.

Color of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Cells

After the Gram stain, Gram-positive cells remain purple, while Gram-negative cells lose the purple color and appear transparent. The addition of a counterstain like safranin gives Gram-negative cells a pink color for visualization.

Timing during the decolorizing step is crucial to prevent misclassification of bacterial cells.


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