Chemical decay of an antibiotic inverts selection for resistance.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Palmer AC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2811317 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Chemical decay of an antibiotic inverts selection for resistance.
Palmer Adam C AC Angelino Elaine E Kishony Roy R
Nature chemical biology 20100110 2
Antibiotics are often unstable and can decay into various compounds with potential biological activities. We found that as tetracycline degrades, the competitive advantage conferred to bacteria by resistance not only diminishes but actually reverses to become a prolonged disadvantage due to the activities of more stable degradation products. Tetracycline decay can lead to net selection against resistance, which may help explain the puzzling coexistence of sensitive and resistant strains in natur ...[more]
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