Gram-positive bacteria got their name back in 1884, when the Danish scientist G. Gram proposed his own research method. The basis of this method was the staining of the bacterial cell wall with special dyes that can reveal the biochemical properties of cell membranes. The composition of the stained solution includes aniline dye and iodine solution to fix the color. Gram-positive bacteria after washing were stained, and gram-negative bacteria became discolored.
Gram-positive bacteria include lactobacillus bacteria, micrococcal bacteria, bacillus bacteria and clostridio bacteria. The structure of the bacteria of each group is characterized by the possibility or impossibility of spore formation, but in general they are typical - they have a membrane, ribosomes and nucleotide.
Clostridia, as a rule, are anaerobes and more often have the form of sticks, but sometimes cocci. During the formation of bacterial spores, Clostridium is in the form of a lemon. Clostridia have the ability to cause fermentation in some proteins, polysaccharides, pyrines and amino acids. For example, in the process of fermentation using clostridia get acetone and some other alcohols. These bacteria can live in the soil, in a reservoir, in the digestive tract of living things. Clostridium tetany (a causative agent of tetanus) and Clostridium septicum (a causative agent of gas gangrene) are dangerous for humans . A bacterium such as Clostridium botulinum produces potent poison, which leads to instant death.
Bacillus bacteria most often have a rod-shaped form, they are aerobes, capable of forming spores. Among this subspecies, the most famous is hay bacillus, which is actively involved in the decomposition of organic substances. For humans, the anthrax wand is dangerous. Due to their natural properties, bacillus bacteria are used to produce antibiotics.
Lactobacilli are gram-positive bacteria that do not form spores and are in the form of sticks. The value of these bacteria lies in their ability to ferment carbohydrates and produce lactic acid as a result . Lactobacilli can be found in drinks, dairy products, sauerkraut , pickles. They are formed during silage as a result of decomposition of plant and animal residues.
Micrococci combine both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms that do not form endospores. Metabolism is often aimed at maintaining respiratory function. These cocci are involved in the decomposition of food, animal and plant debris. The most famous representative of micrococci is staphylococcus. If it gets on products that are warm, then it actively begins to secrete enterotoxin, which is dangerous for humans.
Apart are mycoplasmas, some of which are still commonly referred to as gram-positive bacteria. Mycoplasmas are the smallest pre-nuclear, besides they do not contain a shell, do not form spores. Most of them are harmless, but some may be pathogens, for example, in humans, causing infection of the joint bags, genitourinary organs, mucous membranes and respiratory tract. When stained by the Gram method, not all of them can stably hold color.
It’s quite difficult for a person to get along with gram-positive bacteria. Studies show that about half of all infections in the human body are caused by representatives of this group. With proper storage of products and observing the rules of personal hygiene, the possibility of a non-conflict neighborhood is quite high. But when penetrated into the body, some gram-positive bacteria can provoke a serious conflict. In this case, special groups of antibiotics come to the rescue , which resist bacteria.