What is the purpose of heat fixing in simple staining

experiment?

The correct answer will be - to denature bacterial enzymes

Explanation:

Bacteria are stained to observe them under the microscope through various methods in which the simple staining method developed the Gram called Gram staining is followed.

While staining the bacteria with crystal violet, the smear of bacteria is fixed by heating the slide.

The slide is heated over a flame or a hot plate to fix the bacterial strain. The heating is performed to denature the proteins especially enzymes which could digest the cellular parts thus preventing the cell from the process of autolysis. Also, the heat increases the adherence of the bacteria to the slide.

Thus, to denature bacterial enzymes is the correct answer.