News Humans

New genes give gut bacteria antibiotic resistance

Study also finds that the same genes can lead to resistance when inserted into E. coli

By Jenny Lauren Lee

- More than 2 years ago

The human gut is a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. And the bacteria residing there could bequeath their gift of resistance  to more harmful microbes under the right conditions, researchers report in the August 28 Science.

GENE EXCHANGE This illustration depicts a hypothetical situation in which disease-causing bacteria (with spiky green coats) could acquire resistance to the antibiotic penicillin by exchanging DNA (red helical ribbon) with harmless bacteria living in the human gut (blue rounded chains).