Genetics have revealed the basis of bacterial resistance to antibiotics

Scientists have revealed 76 new genes that make bacteria resistant to the most powerful antibiotics. These genes were identified in the study of large amounts of bacterial DNA, Zee News reports. As it turned out, some of the described genes protect bacteria from carbapenems - the last defense line antibiotics working against even multidrug-resistant pathogens.

According to scientists, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Probably, there is still a whole array of resistance genes. This is an important discovery, taking into account the active spread of bacterial

infections that do not respond to treatment. It is known that in the study, DNA sequences of bacteria obtained from people and different environments of the world were examined.

Thanks to computer technology, it was possible to identify DNA patterns associated with antibiotic resistance. Further, the isolated genes were tested in vitro to check the hypothesis. In the future, the scientists are going to find genes protecting pathogens from other types of antibiotics.

Source: Zee News