Final answer:
Quality control for GC gram stain may need to occur more frequently on the recommendation of standards organizations or when inconsistencies arise. The Gram stain distinguishes bacteria by their cell wall properties with gram-positive retaining purple dye and gram-negative appearing pink after staining. Antibiotics target bacteria but are ineffective against other microorganism categories like viruses or fungi.
Step-by-step explanation:
Quality control testing for GC gram stain may be required more often than once a week if recommended by specific guidelines, or if results are not consistent, indicating potential issues with staining procedures or reagents. The frequency of quality control testing can be influenced by various factors, including the standards set by organizations like the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists International (AOAC) or by the protocols of a particular laboratory or regulatory body.
The Gram stain is a lab technique used to differentiate bacterial species into two groups based on the structural characteristics of their cell walls: gram-positive and gram-negative. In the Gram stain procedure, Gram's iodine acts as a mordant to fix crystal violet dye on the cell wall of bacteria. After the application of a decolorizing agent such as alcohol, gram-positive cells retain the crystal violet dye and appear purple, while gram-negative cells do not and are instead counterstained with safranin, appearing pink or red.
Antibiotic treatment is primarily effective against bacteria, hence, microorganisms such as bacteria would be killed by antibiotic treatment. However, antibiotics do not work against viruses or fungi, which require different types of treatment.