cell wall mycobacterium

Question 1

Name some Mycobacterium species

Answer 1

M. tuberculosis and M. leprae, others are gram +ive bacillus b/c don’t stain well with gram stain

Question 2

What is the outer surface covered with

Answer 2

lipids including mycolic acid, making surface hydrophobic

Question 3

Describe mycolic acid structure

Answer 3

covalently linked to peptidoglycan

Question 4

what is the fn of mycolic acid

Answer 4

lipid protects against dehydration and from chemicals including gram stain dyes, detergents, antibiotics. slows nutrient uptake, so growth of many species is slow

Question 5

What kind of stain are Mycobacterium?

Answer 5

acid fast bacteria

Question 6

What is the first step in acid fast stain

Answer 6

primary stain is red, includes phenols (harsh). heated to help penetrate lipid bilayer

Question 7

What is the 2nd step in acid fast stain

Answer 7

decolourized with acid alcohol

Question 8

What is the 3rd step in acid fast stain

Answer 8

counter stain is blue. results acid fast are red, non-acid fast bacteria are blue