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Multiple Choice
How did some strains of Staphylococcus aureus become resistant to antibiotic drugs?
A
The drug did not work in the way that the developers intended.
B
Patients did not take the drug as it was prescribed.
C
The bacterium mutated in response to the drug.
D
None of the listed responses is correct.
E
Some members of the bacteria population must have had genetic variation that made them resistant to antibiotics, and these bacteria had greater reproductive success than sensitive individuals.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that antibiotic resistance in bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus is a result of natural selection, a key concept in evolutionary biology.
Recognize that within a population of bacteria, there is genetic variation. Some bacteria may naturally possess mutations that confer resistance to antibiotics.
When an antibiotic is used, it creates a selective pressure. Bacteria that are sensitive to the drug are killed, while those with resistance genes survive.
The resistant bacteria reproduce, passing on their resistant traits to their offspring. Over time, the population evolves to become more resistant to the antibiotic.
This process is not due to the bacteria mutating in response to the drug, but rather the selection of pre-existing resistant individuals who then have greater reproductive success.