Bauman, R. (2012) Microbiology With Diseases by Body System, third edition. Benjamin Cummings.
Tortora, G., Funke, B. & Case, C. (2013) Microbiology, An Introduction. Pearson.
Endospore stained Bacillus subtilis bacteria viewed @ 1000xTM. Vegetative, rod-shaped cells appear red and oval endospores green. Click here for more endospore related photos.
SPO VIDEO: How to Prepare a Bacterial Smear for Endospore Staining
Lab Tutorial
After the primary stain of malachite green is used, the slide is rinsed and the red counterstain safranin is used to impart color to the vegetative bacterial cell. In the end, endospores appear a blue-green color and vegetative cells are red.
During the endospore stain protocol, a bacterial smear of an endospore-producing bacteria, such as Bacillus, is prepared. Then the dye malachite green is forced into the spore with heat from a water bath, in much the same way that fuchsin is forced through the waxy mycolic acid layer of Mycobacterium in the acid-fast stain.
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