The endospore stain was performed in order to test the indication of endospores present. Endospores are formed from gram positive bacteria which have the ability to survive in harsh conditions. The protein coat found on endospores inhibits stains to penetrate, and is indicated by a clear area within the cell. By heating the stain malachite green onto a smear of the bacteria, the stain will penetrate the spore coat. After saturating with safrinin, the endospores should remain green, and the protein coat should turn orange.
The procedure for this staining began with fixating a smear of our unknown bacteria onto a slide. Next we placed the slide on a staining rack which was elevated over a boiling beaker of water. We then placed filter paper over the slide and began saturating the slide with malachite green for 5-6 minutes. When 5 minutes passed we rinsed the excess malachite green from the slide in a sink and added safranin. We rinsed the slide one more time, and allowed the slide to dry before looking at our results under a microscope.
Our results showed that we did not have an endospore forming bacteria because the bacteria cells were orange. The malachite green completely washed off when we rinsed the slide.
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