Question

Gram-negative bacteria do not retain the crystal violet of the Gram-stain because:

a) They have a thick peptidoglycan layer
b) They have an outer membrane
c) They lack a cell wall
d) They have a capsule

Answer 1

Gram-negative bacteria do not retain crystal violet during Gram staining due to the presence of an outer membrane, which is not found in Gram-positive bacteria with thick peptidoglycan layers.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason Gram-negative bacteria do not retain the crystal violet of the Gram-stain is because they have an outer membrane that surrounds the cell wall which is thin and composed of peptidoglycan. In contrast, Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer and lack this outer membrane. Therefore, the correct answer to why Gram-negative bacteria do not retain crystal violet during the Gram staining process is because they have an outer membrane.