Which statement about the Gram stain mordant is true?

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Prepare for the WGU NURS1010 Microbiology Exam with engaging study materials, flashcards, and multiple choice questions. Enhance your understanding with detailed explanations and insights. Get exam-ready today!

Multiple Choice

Which statement about the Gram stain mordant is true?

Explanation:
Iodine acts as the mordant that fixes the dye to the cell wall. It forms a crystal violet–iodine complex with the primary stain, making a larger, less soluble complex that is trapped in the thick peptidoglycan layer of Gram-positive bacteria. When alcohol is applied, this CV–I complex stays put in Gram-positive cells but is washed out of Gram-negative cells due to their thinner peptidoglycan layer and outer membrane, which is why the Gram stain differentiates them. The crystal violet is the primary stain that initially colors all cells, while the alcohol is the decolorizer and safaranin is the counterstain.

Iodine acts as the mordant that fixes the dye to the cell wall. It forms a crystal violet–iodine complex with the primary stain, making a larger, less soluble complex that is trapped in the thick peptidoglycan layer of Gram-positive bacteria. When alcohol is applied, this CV–I complex stays put in Gram-positive cells but is washed out of Gram-negative cells due to their thinner peptidoglycan layer and outer membrane, which is why the Gram stain differentiates them. The crystal violet is the primary stain that initially colors all cells, while the alcohol is the decolorizer and safaranin is the counterstain.

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