According to a recent study, E. coli bacteria have the capacity to acquire an alarmingly high antibiotic resistance, more so than scientists previously assumed in past research. The work saw over 260,000 potential mutations of an E. coli protein mapped. The alterations were all required for the bacteria’s survival when treated with the antibiotic trimethoprim and were all found to be effective at reducing the substance’s effectiveness.
More adept at evolving resistance
“In essence, this study suggests that bacteria like E. coli may be more adept at evolving resistance to antibiotics than we initially thought, and this has broader implications for understanding how various systems in evolutionary biology, chemistry, and other fields adapt and evolve,” said Santa Fe Institute External Professor Andreas Wagner who led the research.
