WEILAI Online Academic assistant
WEILAI Online Academic assistant
Back to 课程

Biology_A-level_Cie

0% Complete
0/0 Steps
  1. 1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies
    5 主题
  2. 1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms
    5 主题
  3. 2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules
    3 主题
  4. 2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids
    8 主题
  5. 2-3-proteins
    6 主题
  6. 2-4-water
    2 主题
  7. 3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes
    5 主题
  8. 3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action
    8 主题
  9. 4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes
    4 主题
  10. 4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells
    12 主题
  11. 5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells
    6 主题
  12. 5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis
    2 主题
  13. 6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna
    4 主题
  14. 6-2-protein-synthesis
    5 主题
  15. 7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues
    4 主题
  16. 7-2-transport-mechanisms
    7 主题
  17. 8-1-the-circulatory-system
    7 主题
  18. 8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide
    5 主题
  19. 8-3-the-heart
    4 主题
  20. 9-1-the-gas-exchange-system
    6 主题
  21. 10-1-infectious-diseases
    3 主题
  22. 10-2-antibiotics
    3 主题
  23. 11-1-the-immune-system
    4 主题
  24. 11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination
    6 主题
  25. 12-1-energy
    5 主题
  26. 12-2-respiration
    11 主题
  27. 13-1-photosynthesis-as-an-energy-transfer-process
    8 主题
  28. 13-2-investigation-of-limiting-factors
    2 主题
  29. 14-1-homeostasis-in-mammals
    8 主题
  30. 14-2-homeostasis-in-plants
    3 主题
  31. 15-1-control-and-coordination-in-mammals
    12 主题
  32. 15-2-control-and-coordination-in-plants
    3 主题
  33. 16-1-passage-of-information-from-parents-to-offspring
    5 主题
  34. 16-2-the-roles-of-genes-in-determining-the-phenotype
    7 主题
  35. 16-3-gene-control
    3 主题
  36. 17-1-variation
    4 主题
  37. 17-2-natural-and-artificial-selection
    7 主题
  38. 17-3-evolution
    2 主题
  39. 18-1-classification
    5 主题
  40. 18-2-biodiversity
    7 主题
  41. 18-3-conservation
    6 主题
  42. 19-1-principles-of-genetic-technology
    11 主题
  43. 19-2-genetic-technology-applied-to-medicine
    4 主题
  44. 19-3-genetically-modified-organisms-in-agriculture
    2 主题
  45. 1-1-the-microscope-in-cell-studies
  46. 1-2-cells-as-the-basic-units-of-living-organisms
  47. 2-1-testing-for-biological-molecules
  48. 2-2-carbohydrates-and-lipids
  49. 2-3-proteins
  50. 2-4-water
  51. 3-1-mode-of-action-of-enzymes
  52. 3-2-factors-that-affect-enzyme-action
  53. 4-1-fluid-mosaic-membranes
  54. 4-2-movement-into-and-out-of-cells
  55. 5-1-replication-and-division-of-nuclei-and-cells
  56. 5-2-chromosome-behaviour-in-mitosis
  57. 6-1-structure-of-nucleic-acids-and-replication-of-dna
  58. 6-2-protein-synthesis
  59. 7-1-structure-of-transport-tissues
  60. 7-2-transport-mechanisms
  61. 8-1-the-circulatory-system
  62. 8-2-transport-of-oxygen-and-carbon-dioxide
  63. 8-3-the-heart
  64. 9-1-the-gas-exchange-system
  65. 10-1-infectious-diseases
  66. 10-2-antibiotics
  67. 11-1-the-immune-system
  68. 11-2-antibodies-and-vaccination
课 Progress
0% Complete

Resistance to antibiotics

  • Genetic variation exists between individuals in a bacterial population

    • This is the result of random mutation

  • A chance mutation might give rise to a new allele that provides resistance to an antibiotic

    • E.g. some pathogenic bacteria have become resistant to penicillin

    • They have acquired an allele that codes for the production of an enzyme which breaks down penicillin

  • When the bacterial population is treated with this antibiotic any bacteria with the resistance allele do not die

    • The antibiotic acts as a selection pressure

  • The resistant bacteria can continue to reproduce with less competition from the non-resistant bacteria, which are now dead

  • The allele for antibiotic resistance is passed on with much greater frequency to the next generation

    • This can occur especially quickly in bacterial populations, due to:

      • short generation times

      • all offspring being clones of their parents

      • horizontal gene transfer

  • The antibiotic resistance allele increases in frequency

    • A higher proportion of the bacterial population is now resistant to the antibiotic

  • This is an example of evolution by natural selection

Diagram illustrating antibiotic resistance development: mutation occurs, antibiotics kill non-resistant bacteria, resistant bacteria survive and reproduce.
Bacteria evolve rapidly due to their high mutation rate and short generation times; this means that antibiotic resistance can arise quickly when a population is exposed to a new antibiotic

  • Humans have caused an increase in the occurrence of antibiotic resistance

    • This is because treating infections with antibiotics provides a selection pressure which drives natural selection

  • This problem is made worse when antibiotics are used improperly, e.g.

    • For treatment of non-serious infections

    • For treatment of viral infections

    • Routine treatment to animals in agriculture

    • A course of antibiotics is not fully completed

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Be careful when describing the development of antibiotic resistance; there are two major pitfalls to look out for:

  • Antibiotic resistance mutations occur by chance, and not as the result of exposure to antibiotics; you should never say that antibiotics cause mutation

  • Mutation gives rise to a new resistance allele, and not a new gene