Exposure of Salmonella biofilms to antibiotic concentrations rapidly selects resistance with collateral tradeoffs.

ABSTRACT: Most bacteria in nature exist in biofilms, which are inherently tolerant to antibiotics. There is currently very limited understanding of how biofilms evolve in response to sub-lethal concentrations of antimicrobials. In this study, we use a biofilm evolution model to study the effects of sub-inhibitory concentrations of three antibiotics on Salmonella Typhimurium biofilms. We show that biofilms rapidly evolve resistance to each antibiotic they are exposed to, demonstrating a strong selective pressure on biofilms from low antibiotic concentrations. While all antibiotics tested select for clinical resistance, there is no common mechanism. Adaptation to antimicrobials, however, has a marked cost for other clinically important phenotypes, including biofilm formation and virulence. Cefotaxime

SUBMITTER: Trampari E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7801651 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature