Workshop on Antibiotic Resistance in bacteria in the context of Evolution

Ramith Nair a post doc fellow from Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), Zurich, Switzerland is visiting CUBE lab, at HBCSE,TIFR to conduct a workshop on the topic of Antibiotic resistance in bacteria in the context of Evolution.

Interestingly use of Antibiotic resistance as a marker for transforming Cardamine leaf structure using floral dip method is an important connection in CUBE with this topic.

Stay tuned for the updates of workshop.

2 Likes

Introduction on Antibiotics, Significance of Antibiotics, Antibiotic Resistance , Mechanisms of Resistance by Ramith Nair

Out of low and high concentration of antibiotics administered to bacteria (which are sensitive to antibiotic) which concentration will lead to high antibiotic resistance?
This is the experiment which students will be engaged in the workshop.

1 Like

We started the workshop with a question,
Q) In which concentration of antibiotics we will get high antibiotic resistance, if the bacteria used is initially sensitive to antibiotic to start with?

  1. High concentration of antibiotic
  2. Low concentration of antibiotic
  3. No antibiotic

After the experiments we found 50% proportion of antibiotic resistant bacteria were growing in low conc of antibiotics, they developed resistance.

Whereas CONTROL which was without antibiotic treatment didnt grow on an antibiotic plate, and didnt develop any antibiotic resistance (or developed minimal/negligible resistance)

Expectation was bacteria which were not treated with any antibiotic should also have mutations and therefore should grow in comparative numbers on Control plate with antibiotic.

Which was contrary to observations got.
Which means only in presence of antibiotics bacteria evolved by getting selected.

Similary it can be understood, that before 1945 and development of penicillin there was hardly any antibiotic resistance, only after 1945, resistance cases increased due to selection pressure of Penicillin.

Plenty of queries emerged by cubists during the session, on emergence and evolution of antibiotic resistance, importance of use of proper antibiotic course inorder to prevent creating selection pressure which leads to spread of resistance.
As often by stopping antibiotic course in halfway infectious bacteria wont die completely and develop resistant mutations, which on subsequent intake of antibiotic at later stage would get selected as an antibiotic resistant strain.

Another way, overuse/careless use of antibiotics, may lead same way, selection of antibiotic resistance in nature and can spread as infections.

Here are Group Photos after an amazing session.

Group Photos after discussing antibiotic resistance in context of evolution

In the following picture,
@Ramith explaining the importance of selection pressure in evolution, even if mutations may occur the selection pressure is the factor which decides evolution, and appearance or disappearance of a character

Had a great session with @Ramith , we are sure that the session ignited so many questions, addressed several misconceptions, and helped in understanding antibiotic resistance phenomenon in the context of evolution.

2 Likes