The plate shown below is known as:
Blood agar plate (BAP)
M17 Agar
The Correct Answer is A
A blood agar plate is a nutrient-rich culture medium that contains mammalian blood, usually 5% sheep blood, mixed with agar. It is commonly used in microbiology laboratories to grow and differentiate bacteria based on their ability to lyse red blood cells (hemolysis). The red color of the medium comes from the intact red blood cells, and bacterial colonies may produce clear zones (beta hemolysis), greenish zones (alpha hemolysis), or no change (gamma hemolysis) around them. This property helps in identifying clinically important bacteria such as Streptococcus species.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Alpha hemolysis is characterized by partial lysis of red blood cells on blood agar, leading to a greenish or brownish discoloration around bacterial colonies rather than a clear zone. This occurs because the bacteria produce hemolysins that oxidize hemoglobin to methemoglobin, causing the greenish hue, but do not completely lyse the red blood cells. In contrast, beta hemolysis results in complete destruction of red blood cells and a clear zone surrounding the colonies. Therefore, alpha hemolysis produces incomplete hemolysis with color change rather than full destruction and clearing of the agar.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Their outer membrane traps the stain: Gram-positive bacteria do not have an outer membrane; this structure is characteristic of Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, the outer membrane cannot be responsible for retaining crystal violet in Gram-positive cells.
B. Their thick peptidoglycan layer holds the crystal violet-iodine complex: Gram-positive bacteria have a thick, multilayered peptidoglycan cell wall that forms a dense network. During Gram staining, the crystal violet combines with iodine to form an insoluble complex that gets trapped within this thick peptidoglycan matrix. Even after alcohol or acetone decolorization, the complex remains, causing the cells to appear purple under a microscope.
C. They absorb the safranin more strongly: Safranin is a counterstain used to color Gram-negative bacteria red after decolorization. Gram-positive bacteria do not absorb safranin strongly because the retained crystal violet-iodine complex masks it. Therefore, safranin absorption is not responsible for the purple color of Gram-positive cells.
D. They do not undergo decolorization: While Gram-positive bacteria resist decolorization, this is not because they fail to undergo the process; it is due to the structural ability of their thick peptidoglycan to trap the crystal violet-iodine complex. The resistance is a result of the cell wall structure, not a lack of exposure to the decolorizing agent.
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