What is antibiotic resistance and how does it develop in
prokaryotes?
Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria to resist the effect of antibiotics that
would normally kill them or prevent their growth, rendering the antibiotics ineffective.
This resistance represents a threat to public health since bacterial infections that
were once easily treated can become difficult or impossible to cure. Antibiotic
resistance can develop through several mechanisms, including the acquisition of
new genetic material, mutations and genetic recombination.
One of the major mechanisms of antibiotic resistance is the presence of antibiotic
resistance genes, which can be acquired through horizontal gene transfer. These
genes are often located on plasmids, transposons or integrons that can transfer from
one bacterium to another, leading to the spread of antibiotic resistance among
bacterial populations. Some bacteria can also develop resistance through mutations
that occur spontaneously or through selective pressure from antibiotics, leading to
genetic changes that allow for survival in the presence of antibiotics.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals are major drivers of
antibiotic resistance since bacteria can rapidly develop resistance to antibiotics they
are exposed to. The misuse of antibiotics has led to the widespread occurrence of
antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, which pose a significant threat to public health.
Strategies to counter antibiotic resistance include the development of new
antibiotics, stewardship programs that promote judicious use of antibiotics, and the
development of alternative therapies such as phage therapy.
References:
1. Nikaido, H. (2009). Multidrug resistance in bacteria. Annual review of biochemistry, 78,
119-146.
2. Ventola, C. L. (2015). The antibiotic resistance crisis: part 1: causes and threats.
Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 40(4), 277.
3. Davies, J., & Davies, D. (2010). Origins and evolution of antibiotic resistance.
Microbiology and molecular biology reviews, 74(3), 417-433.