Superbugs are a constant concern and now there’s a new way scientists have found bacteria are changing to survive.
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00:00You've probably heard the phrase antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but you might not know the mechanism
00:08by which bacteria evolve to survive medical treatments.
00:11Some mesh with other bacteria combining to become more resilient, while others simply
00:15mutate over time until some are able to survive and reproduce.
00:18But now scientists are looking at a new way the microscopic pathogens are evolving to
00:22rally against modern medicine simply by changing shape.
00:26Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, University College London, and the University
00:30of Chicago recently introduced low levels of antibiotics into a bacteria population.
00:35And over the course of just 10 generations, they found that the bacteria would physically
00:40change, morphing from its classic-looking straight form, folding themselves into a C-shape
00:44while surviving the antibiotic treatment.
00:46The researchers believe that the wider shape provides more volume for the cell, thus diluting
00:50the amount of antibiotics inside it.
00:52The study's lead author, Shiladitya Banerjee, said about the findings,
00:56These shape changes enable bacteria to overcome the stress of antibiotics and resume fast
01:01growth.
01:02What's even more curious, after the antibiotic treatment was stopped, the bacteria returned
01:05to their original shape after several more generations.