Question

A microbiologist gram stains a bacterium and finds the bacterium to be blue to purple in color, this identifies the

a. bacterium as gram-positive.
b. species of bacterium.
c. bacterium as gram-negative.
d. bacterium as a bacterium that causes human disease.

Answer 1

The bacterium can be identified as gram-negative based on its blue to purple color in the gram stain.

Step-by-step explanation:

The bacterium can be identified as gram-negative based on its blue to purple color in the gram stain. Gram-positive bacteria stain purple in the gram stain, while gram-negative bacteria stain red or pink. This color difference is due to differences in the structure of their cell walls. Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer, while gram-negative bacteria have a thinner peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane.