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Abstract
Keywords:
INTRODUCTION
Endospore is a differentiated cell formed within the cells of certain gram positive
bacteria that is extremely resistant to heat as well as to other harmful agents, (Madigan,
2009). It is an adaptive feature in microbes that help them survive in a nutrient deficient
environment. Unlike any other cells, endospore are hard to stain using simple gram stains
since they do not absorb them well. So, it is seen unstained and stand out under the
microscope at as strongly infractile structure, (Madigan, 2009). Differential staining are
essential in determining and visualizing different organism. Similar to other stain
techniques such as the acid-fast staining and Gram staining, a special method should be
used to stain endospore. This is Scaeffer- Fulton method, which uses malachite green as a
stain for such cell coat. It demonstrated the endospre forming within the vegetative cells
and make free spores easy to identify (Hussey et al., 2007).
On the other hand, capsule is a dense, well-defined polysaccharide or protein layer,
known as the glycocalyx, closely surrounding the cell wall, (Madigan, 2009). Glycocalyx
is a general term for any network of polysaccharide or protein coating on the outside of
the cell. In microbes, there are two types of protein coating produced. This includes the
capsule and slime layer which vary according to their organization or distribution.
Capsule is closely associated with cells whereas slime layer is diffused. Compared to
Endospore, this structure can not retain the color of the staining agent. For this reason,
two methods are used to test both gram negative and gram positive bacteria. These
methods are negative capsule staining and positive capsule stain.
This study aims to provide a better understanding on the appropriate methods used to
distinguished two cell coats capsule and endospore (Scaeffer-Fulton method and Negative