Gram Positive and gram Negative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gram Positive and gram Negative - Essay Example s thick peptidoglycan layer it displays Gm +ve differential staining and if the microorganism possess thin or single layer of peptidoglycan then it takes up the counter stain Safranin of the Gram reaction. Thus, G +ve organisms display purple staining whereas the G –ve organisms take up the counter stain and display pink staining. Counter stain Safranin is added to the reaction after washing the Gram stain with alcohol. This step is most imperative as Gram positive organisms possessing thick peptidoglycan retains the stain while Gram negative organisms possessing thin peptidoglycan cell wall becomes colorless and therefore takes up the counter stain when stained with Safranin. It is therefore this staining procedure aids as a diagnostic device in medical as well as research pursuits. Staining also helps in identifying the morphology of the microbial population (Korolik, 2008). It is a Gram-negative rod. The bacteria does not possess flagella and therefore not motile bacteria. It possess capsule and therefore it is encapsulated. Klebsiella is known to be lactose fermenting organism (Ryan, 2004). It is present as the natural microflora on the epidermal layers especially skin and oral cavity. It is also present in the intestine. It is also present in soil and around 30% of the species fix nitrogen under anaerobic conditions (Postgate, 1998). Klebsiella is becoming the topic of research as it is emerging as an impetrative pathogen in nosocomial infections. Klebsiella possess two different kinds of antigens one on its cell wall and other on its capsule. The O antigen is present as a cell wall component on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and possess 9 different kinds. The capsular antigen is known as K antigen and possess as many as 80 different kinds. These antigens are responsible for the virulence of the organism (Podschun, 1998). These virulence factors are responsible for disease called pneumonia. Pneumonia is the disease of lungs and results in inflammation