Final answer:
Mycolic acid in the cell walls of acid-fast organisms imparts resistance to decolorization, helping these bacteria retain stains such as carbolfuchsin despite the application of decolorizing agents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The wax-like lipid called mycolic acid present in the cell walls of acid-fast organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis serves several functions. It acts as a protective barrier against dehydration, phagocytosis, and some antibiotics. With specific reference to the options provided in the question, mycolic acid imparts resistance to decolorization during staining procedures, such as the Gram stain or acid-fast staining techniques like the Ziehl-Neelsen or the Kinyoun technique. This resistance is due to the waxy characteristic of mycolic acids, which prevents the stain from being washed out by the decolorizing agent usually used in these stains. Thus, acid-fast bacteria can retain the primary colorant, typically a red dye called carbolfuchsin, even after the application of an acid-alcohol solution.