Gram Staining Process on Bacillus megaterium

What color does Bacillus megaterium turn after the mordant is added in the Gram staining process?

A. Pink

B. Purple

C. No color

Answer:

The color that Bacillus megaterium turns after the mordant is added in the Gram staining process is B. Purple.

Bacillus megaterium is a Gram-positive bacterium, which means that after the mordant (Gram's iodine) is added in the Gram staining process, it retains the purple color from the primary dye, crystal violet. This is due to the thick layer of peptidoglycan in its cell walls that retains the primary stain, despite the decolorizing step.

Gram staining is a technique used in microbiology to identify specific bacteria and determine their cell wall structure. The process involves staining the bacteria with crystal violet, adding Gram's iodine as a mordant to trap the dye, decolorizing with an agent, and then adding a counterstain. In the case of Bacillus megaterium, the cells remain purple after the mordant is added, making the correct answer B. Purple.