The evolution of antibiotic susceptibility and resistance during the formation of <it>Escherichia coli</it> biofilms in the absence of antibiotics

• Main Authors: Tyerman Jabus G, Ponciano José M, Joyce Paul, Forney Larry J, Harmon Luke J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2013-01-01
• Series: BMC Evolutionary Biology
• Subjects: Evolution; Antibiotic resistance; Bacterial biofilms; Mutations; Diversity
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/13/22

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Explanations for bacterial biofilm persistence during antibiotic treatment typically depend on non-genetic mechanisms, and rarely consider the contribution of evolutionary processes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using <it>Escherichia coli</it> biofilms, we demonstrate that heritable variation for broad-spectrum antibiotic resistance can arise and accumulate rapidly during biofilm development, even in the absence of antibiotic selection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results demonstrate the rapid <it>de novo</it> evolution of heritable variation in antibiotic sensitivity and resistance during <it>E. coli</it> biofilm development. We suggest that evolutionary processes, whether genetic drift or natural selection, should be considered as a factor to explain the elevated tolerance to antibiotics typically observed in bacterial biofilms. This could be an under-appreciated mechanism that accounts why biofilm populations are, in general, highly resistant to antibiotic treatment.</p>