Differential Staining Lab Report
Michele Hindmarsh mhindma@my.wgu.edu Student ID# 000383032
MLT1 – Experiment 5; Task 6
Differential Staining
Heidi Atkinson, MS
Lab Experiment #5-Differential Staining
Through the process of differential staining, there are distinct differences between the cell walls of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In the case of gram-positive bacteria, the cell wall is comprised of 60-90% peptidoglycan and is very thick. There are numerous layers of teichoic acid bound with peptidoglycan thereby creating very thick cell membranes which causes the cell wall to take up large quantities of basic dye and appears purple. (Hands-on-Labs. (2012)). Conversely, gram-negative bacteria cell walls are much thinner with an outer cell membrane composed of phospholipids and only …show more content…
This bacteria exists in many popular foods including yogurt, cheese, and the fermentation of beer and wine. Alternatively, the bacteria can have negative impact on the human body in the form of infections, commonly involving the urinary tract. Another gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus, exists in the nose and on the skin of humans. Found in these locals, it is generally benign, until there is a disruption or injury in the skin that introduces it systemically. (Stoppler, Melissa Conrad MD). Staphylococcus can be insidious and potentially life-threatening if left untreated, causing sepsis if left to run rampant. A yeast delineated as S. cerevisiae appeared purple in this experiment. This would lead one to believe that it is gram-positive as well. However, as a fungus, the rules do not apply, as its cellular structure is different and it takes up whatever color is first introduced. The only traceable source of infection linked to S. cerevisiae is via the use of S. saccromyces as a probiotic during the course of intensive antibiotic treatment and the subsequent proliferation of S.
MLT1 – Experiment 5; Task 6
Differential Staining
Heidi Atkinson, MS
Lab Experiment #5-Differential Staining
Through the process of differential staining, there are distinct differences between the cell walls of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In the case of gram-positive bacteria, the cell wall is comprised of 60-90% peptidoglycan and is very thick. There are numerous layers of teichoic acid bound with peptidoglycan thereby creating very thick cell membranes which causes the cell wall to take up large quantities of basic dye and appears purple. (Hands-on-Labs. (2012)). Conversely, gram-negative bacteria cell walls are much thinner with an outer cell membrane composed of phospholipids and only …show more content…
This bacteria exists in many popular foods including yogurt, cheese, and the fermentation of beer and wine. Alternatively, the bacteria can have negative impact on the human body in the form of infections, commonly involving the urinary tract. Another gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus, exists in the nose and on the skin of humans. Found in these locals, it is generally benign, until there is a disruption or injury in the skin that introduces it systemically. (Stoppler, Melissa Conrad MD). Staphylococcus can be insidious and potentially life-threatening if left untreated, causing sepsis if left to run rampant. A yeast delineated as S. cerevisiae appeared purple in this experiment. This would lead one to believe that it is gram-positive as well. However, as a fungus, the rules do not apply, as its cellular structure is different and it takes up whatever color is first introduced. The only traceable source of infection linked to S. cerevisiae is via the use of S. saccromyces as a probiotic during the course of intensive antibiotic treatment and the subsequent proliferation of S.