Antibiotics can be used to kill the specific pathogenic bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that causes tuberculosis. The appearance of antibiotic-resistant strains has made it more difficult to cure M. tuberculosis infections. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria survive and pass on the genes to their offspring, making the resistant phenotype more common in the population. DNA analysis indicates that the genes for antibiotic resistance are not normally present in bacterial chromosomal DNA. Which of the following statements best explains how the genes for antibiotic resistance can be transmitted between bacteria without the exchange of bacterial chromosomal DNA

a. The antibiotic-resistant bacteria release a hormone that signals neighboring bacteria to become resistant
b. The genes for antibiotic resistance are located on a plasmid that can be passed to neighboring bacteria.
c. The antibiotic-resistant bacteria are the result of bacteria that specifically modify their own chromosomal DNA to neutralize the antibiotics
d. The antibiotic alters the bacterial genome of each bacterium, which results in an antibiotic-resistant population

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Conjugation refers to the process where one bacterium known as 'donor' transfers genetic material to another bacterium by direct contact. Conjugation enables bacteria to transfer genes that encode proteins conferring antibiotic resistance to another bacteria by transferring plasmids (i.e., small, extrachromosomal DNA molecules) containing these genes, which is known as horizontal transference. Plasmids that contain multiple antibiotic resistance genes confer Multidrug drug resistance (MDR) and they may severely limit the therapeutic efficacy of treatments against bacteria.

Martebi Martebi · Answer 2 · 2022-01-03T13:01:43+01:00

There are different kinds of antibiotics. The statement that best explains how the genes for antibiotic resistance can be transmitted between bacteria without the exchange of bacterial chromosomal DNA is that;

The genes for antibiotic resistance are located on a plasmid that can be passed to neighboring bacteria.

Bacteria are known to be able to get antibiotic resistance genes from other bacteria in different ways. It can be gotten when they undergo a simple mating process referred to as "conjugation".

Bacteria are known to transport genetic material such as genes encoding resistance to antibiotics that are resident on plasmids and transposons. This can be transferred from one bacterium to another.

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