Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus can be differentiated by their growth on media containing which two dyes?

Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus are two species from the Brucella genus that can be distinguished from each other based on their growth characteristics in the presence of specific dyes. Basic fuchsin and thionin are the dyes that are particularly effective in differentiating these two species.

Brucella melitensis is typically resistant to the inhibitory effects of basic fuchsin, allowing it to grow in the presence of this dye, while Brucella abortus is inhibited by it. Conversely, thionin acts as an inhibitory agent primarily against Brucella melitensis, limiting its growth. This differential growth in response to the two dyes allows microbiologists to identify and distinguish between Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus with relative ease in a laboratory setting.

The other choices listed do not serve the same purpose. Methylene blue and crystal violet are commonly used stains in microbiology but are not specific for differentiating these two Brucella species. Carbol fuchsin and iodine are used in different types of staining protocols, such as the Gram stain, but they do not provide the selective growth conditions necessary for this differentiation. Safranin and methylene blue also lack the specific inhibitory effects