I have no clue would a bacteriophage could create antibiotic resistant bacteria.
So if you all could help me out that would be great!
2007-02-13 17:54:15 · 2 answers · asked by ktewhs4488 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
All bacteria have a chromosome genome, and extra-genomic DNA in the form of plasmids. These plasmids often contain antibiotic resistance genes.
A bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria. When the new virus particles are being packaged, mistakes can be made and the wrong DNA is put in, for example a plasmid. This new bacteriophage is released and it infects a second bacterium, releasing the plasmid with an antibioitc resistance gene, making the bacterium resistant to that antibiotic.
2007-02-13 22:31:28 · answer #1 · answered by Bacteria Boy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A bacteriophage is like a virus for bacterial cells.
in the same way that viruses (eg adenoviruses) can be used as vectors to transfer genetic information into eukaryotic cells, a bacteriphage could be used to transfer a gene which confers for example, penicillin resistance, into a bacterium. This gene is expressed and the bacterium is resistant to the given antibitoic.
2007-02-13 18:15:21 · answer #2 · answered by Yobbomate 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋