Researchers from the institute Pasteurand of the University of Limoges have discovered the mechanism that allows bacteria to acquire resistance to anti biotics.
They have found the the antibiotics that are often administered to kill these bacteria actually provide the resistance genes to the bacteria. The antibiotics when administered have been shown to trigger the synthesis of particular resistance 'capturing' enzymes of the bacteria.
These enzymes promote the random arrangement of resistance genes within an integron. The order that the resistance genes are 'placed' within the integron will determine the priority for their expression. For example the first gene will be expressed providing the antibiotic resistance to the bacteria while the last gene will remain silent
When a new rearrangement occurs, from taking an antibiotic, resistance genes are more likely to be moved to the front of the integron, providing the resistance to the bacteria. Bacteria with these right 'combinations' of resistance genes will therefore be able to survive and pass the same resistance through generations.
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