Explain how conjugation can lead to an increase in antibiotic-resistant enteric bacteria.
Explain how conjugation can lead to an increase in antibiotic-resistant enteric bacteria.
Answered
Conjugation can lead to the spread of antibiotic resistance among enteric bacteria (intestinal bacteria) when resistance genes are transferred from one bacterium to another. In this process, an F+ (fertility factor positive) bacterium with antibiotic resistance can transfer plasmids carrying resistance genes to an F- bacterium through a sex pilus. If the recipient bacterium acquires these resistance genes, it may survive in the presence of antibiotics and potentially pass on the resistance to its offspring through subsequent divisions. This horizontal gene transfer facilitates the rapid spread of resistance within bacterial populations, contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains in environments like hospitals and the human gut.
BNO Team