If this is the case, we would predict that bacterial populations found in places where they frequently encounter antibiotics will evolve greater levels of resistance to antibiotics as compared to bacterial populations that encounter antibiotics less frequently. In light of this evolutionary dynamic it is very possible that by frequently prescribing antibiotics, modern medicine is driving the evolution of more antibiotic resistant bacterial populations. It is easy to see how this could play out in a way that might be good for bacterial populations, but bad for humans. If this natural selection for antibiotic resistance continues, it is expected that the population as a whole may become resistant to antibiotics. If only those highly resistant individuals survive, they will reproduce and the genes for antibiotic resistance that they pass on to their offspring will become more represented in the next generation. When that bacterial population encounters antibiotics, the most resistant individuals will be the last to die and may even survive the antibiotic treatment. Within any bacterial population there is natural genetic variation for the trait of resistance to antibiotics. Unfortunately for us, antibiotics are not 100% effective in killing all bacteria. As you saw in the video, single-celled organisms are ideal for observing evolutionary dynamics because they can rapidly evolve as selected traits can be passed down from generation to generation in a matter of minutes.Īntibiotics have long been an effective weapon for killing bacteria that cause disease. Even among single-celled bacteria, only the fittest survive. Evolutionary pressures impact all life on earth.
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