L24 antibiotics and resistance

Page 3: Keanumycins

  • Discovery of new NRLPs (Natural Resistant-Like Peptides) that are highly effective against various microbial species.

  • Named "keanumycins" in honor of actor Keanu Reeves for his roles as iconic killers in films.

  • Newly discovered compounds have potential applications in agriculture and medicine, particularly as anti-fungal agents.

  • The discovery is reported by Götze et al. (2023) in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Page 4: Antibiotics, Selection, and Resistance

Effects of Antibiotics

  • Good: Help reduce bacterial infections.

  • Bad: Promote resistance leading to more resistant infections.

  • Good Bacterial Flora:

    • Bifidobacteria: Regulate gut bacteria, immune response, and vitamin production.

    • Escherichia coli: Some strains are beneficial for vitamin K production, but pathogenic strains can cause illness.

    • Lactobacilli: Help in immunity and nutrient production, protecting against carcinogens.

  • Pathogenic Bacteria:

    • Campylobacter: Causes foodborne illness.

    • Enterococcus faecalis: Associated with post-surgical infections.

    • Clostridium difficile: Can proliferate after antibiotic treatment.

Page 5: Common Bacterial Infections

  • Common infections include strep throat, pneumonia, food poisoning (salmonella, E. coli), sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, syphilis), skin infections (staphylococcus), and ear infections.

Page 6: Historical Bacterial Infections

  • Historical evidence shows individuals like Ötzi had bacteria causing Lyme disease and stomach ulcers.

  • Indications that bacterial infections have afflicted humans for over 5300 years.

Page 7: Evolution of Bacterial Infections

  • Evidence of brucella bacteria in ancient skeletons, indicating bacterial infections date back 1.5 to 2.5 million years.

Page 8: Dangers of Bacterial Infections

  • Plague (~1350 AD): Killed 30-60% of Europe’s population.

  • Infection risk data from 1935 shows much higher mortality rates due to bacterial infections in the past.

Page 9: Improvement in Survival

  • Significant improvements in survival rates due to the introduction of antibiotics in the 1940s, alongside vaccines and hygiene practices.

Page 10: Introduction of Penicillin

  • Discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming and widely used from the 1940s, marking the beginning of the antibiotic era.

  • Known as a “miracle drug” for its effectiveness in killing bacteria.

Page 11: The Golden Age of Antibiotic Discovery

  • Following penicillin, numerous new antibiotics were discovered from 1920 to 2020:

    • 1920s: Glycopeptides

    • 1930s: Ansamycins

    • 1940s: Tetracyclines

    • 1950s: Macrolides

    • 1960s: Aminoglycosides

    • 2000s onward: New synthetic and natural antibiotics like Oxazolidinones, which target various strains.

Page 12: From Awareness to Fear

  • Shift in perception regarding bacterial infections from awareness to fear, emphasizing the sophistication of microbial threats.

Page 13: Antimicrobial Products

  • Overview of antimicrobial products including the equivalent of Softsoap, which contains antibacterial agents effective in reducing germs.

  • Trends in mortality rates from infectious diseases over the years illustrated through data.

Page 14: Widespread Use of Antibiotics

  • Discussing the implications and realities of the widespread use of antibiotics in healthcare.

Page 15: Consequences of Antibiotic Overuse

  • Exploration of negative effects resulting from the overprescription and overuse of antibiotics in treating infections.

Page 16: Frontline on Antibiotic Resistance

  • Reference to a PBS documentary on antibiotic resistance, showcasing the dangers posed by resistant strains of bacteria.

Page 17: Antibiotic Resistance vs. Cancer Resistance

  • Comparison of the mechanisms behind antibiotic resistance in bacteria versus resistance mechanisms in cancer treatments and chemotherapy.

Page 18: Understanding Antibiotic Resistance

  • An overview of what antibiotic resistance entails and its rising significance in public health.

Page 19: MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)

  • Introduction to MRSA and its implications for infection control and treatment.

Page 20: Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus

  • Commonly carried by 30% of humans, found on skin/nasal area.

  • Not always harmful, yet certain strains lead to severe infections.

Page 21: Warnings from Alexander Fleming

  • Quote from Alexander Fleming about the dangers of under-dosing antibiotics and the resulting resistance.

Page 22: The Rise of Methicillin Resistance

  • Initially, penicillin was curative until 40% of strains became resistant by the 1950s.

  • Methicillin was introduced in 1960, but MRSA prevalence surged in the 1990s.

Page 23: The Race Against Bacterial Resistance

  • Tracking antibiotic drugs approved by the FDA over time and the timeline showing introduced bacteria that have become resistant.

Page 24: Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance

  • Overview of how antibiotics work and how bacteria develop resistance.

  • Specific structures and essential components targeted by antibiotics include the cell wall and ribosomes.

Page 25: Penicillin Mode of Action

  • Explanation of how penicillin disrupts bacterial cell wall synthesis, leading to cell death due to osmotic pressure.

Page 26: Measuring Antibiotic Resistance

  • Methodology for determining bacterial resistance by assessing growth (halo) around antibiotic disc sources.

Page 27: Resistant vs. Sensitive Strains

  • Comparison of sensitivity and resistance in bacterial strains when exposed to various antibiotics.

Page 28: Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance

  • Various strategies bacteria employ to resist antibiotics include pumping drugs out, modifying targets, or inactivating the drug.

Page 29: Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Populations

  • Resistance mechanisms exist due to rapid reproduction, large populations, and existing mutations.

  • Horizontal gene transfer allows shared resistance traits among different bacterial species.

Page 30: Understanding Natural Selection in Bacteria

  • Natural selection illustrates how certain traits become prevalent in a population over time; variations are crucial.

Page 31: The Process of Natural Selection

  • Explanation of natural selection's components: variation within a population, inheritance of traits, differential reproduction, and gradual accumulation of successful traits.

Page 32: Practical Example of Natural Selection

  • Example illustrating the selection process with the shift in moth color due to environmental changes.

Page 33: Standing Variation in Populations

  • Natural selection acts upon existing variations in populations affecting survival and reproduction rates over generations.

Page 34: Phenotype Concentrations in Populations

  • Discussion around how various traits are represented in populations and how non-random survival can alter frequency.

Page 35: Cases of Directional Selection

  • Dark- vs. light-colored moths in response to environmental pollution as a case of directional selection.

Page 36: Understanding Stabilizing Selection

  • Describes stabilizing selection as seen in human births where certain weight ranges are favored for survival.

Page 37: Gene Pool Dynamics

  • Definition of gene pool and allele frequencies contributing to phenotype frequencies in a population.

Page 38: Evolution and Selection Relationships

  • Summary of how selection drives evolutionary processes across species, contrasting with bacterial resistance mechanisms.

Page 39: Mechanisms of Bacterial Resistance Development

  • Describes the processes through which bacteria can deal with antibiotics, notably through genetic exchanges and mutation.

Page 40: Plasmids and Resistance Genes

  • Explanation of plasmids as mechanisms for antibiotic resistance transmission among bacteria, highlighting their replicative functions.

Page 41: Bacterial Mating and Plasmid Transfer

  • Overview of how plasmids can be transferred via bacterial mating, emphasizing their roles in resistance.

Page 42: Antibiotic Evolution and Resistance Dynamics

  • Discusses the complexity of resistance development in bacteria through natural antibiotic production and gene transfer.

Page 43: Environmental Factors in Resistance Spread

  • Overview of how human activity and environmental bacteria can propagate resistance genes across populations.

Page 44: Biological Costs of Resistance

  • Comparison of how environmental factors influence resistance in both pathogens and commensals.

Page 45: Impact of Pollution on Resistance

  • Reflection on how pollution from human activity can enhance resistance gene spreading among bacteria.