The Gram stain differentiates between bacteria based on the composition of their _____________.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about what structural feature the Gram stain differentiates bacteria by.
Option 1: Mitochondria — Bacteria do not have mitochondria; this organelle is characteristic of eukaryotic cells, not a factor used by Gram staining.
Option 2: Cell Membrane — while the bacterial cell membrane exists, the Gram stain does not primarily distinguish bacteria based on membrane composition; the staining mechanism centers on the cell wall's peptidoglycan layer.
Option 3: Nucleus — Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotes and lack a true nucleus, so this is not relevant to Gram staining.
Option 4: Cell Wall — This is correct because Gram staining differentiates bacteria based on the structure and thickness of the peptidoglycan layer in the cell wall, which leads to the characteristic Gram-positive (thick wall, purple) vs. Gram-negative (thin wall, pink) results. The dye-uptake and retention depend on wall composition and permeability during the decolorization step.
Thus, the Gram stain classification hinges on differences in the cell wall structure, making 'Cell Wall' the correct option.

The Gram stain differentiates between bacteria based on the composition of their _____________.

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