When it comes to predators, we naturally think of large, agile, and powerful animals on the prowl. But we often don’t think about the most abundant predators on our planet, predators of the microscopic world. In the depths of the microbial universe, predatory bacteria (those that feast upon other bacteria) have emerged. These bacteria are now ubiquitous in terrestrial and marine environments. Predatory bacteria penetrate the outer membrane of bacterial prey and ingest their prized nutrients, killing the prey. (more…)
Tag: antimicrobial resistance
Solving the plasmid paradox: evolutionary advantages of multicopy plasmids
Today marks the end of 2016's World Antibiotic Awareness Week, aimed to increase awareness of antibiotic resistance and to advocate for the prudent use of these drugs.
One of the key drivers of antibiotic resistance is how rapidly bacteria acquire DNA from the environment or from other bacteria. Resistance elements are often carried on mobile elements, DNA that can move around the genome or be transferred to other genomes. The almost universal rapid assimilation of DNA by bacteria leads to the acquisition of multiple antibiotic resistance genes in a variety of bacterial species. One such example of a DNA mobile element is the plasmid, small circular DNA that replicates independently of the chromosome and can be transferred from bacterium to bacterium during cell division, transformation, and conjugation. (more…)
Plasmid mediated colistin resistance found in the U.S.
"When antibiotics first came out, nobody could have imagined we’d have the resistance problem we face today. We didn’t give bacteria credit for being able to change and adapt so fast." -Bonnie Bassler
Antibiotic resistant superbugs have dominated health-related news recently, warning of an impending post-antibiotic apocalypse where current antibiotics are no longer effective. Though it is true that antimicrobial resistance is increasing quickly and the effectiveness of many antibiotics is dwindling, much of what has been reported recently about a colistin resistant bacteria isolated in the U.S. may not be completely true. (more…)