How does bacteria gain antibiotic resistance?

Question

And can it share this resistance with other bacteria?

In: 1

Answer 1

While plenty of folks mentioned random mutation and then clonal expansion, its important to note horizontal gene transfer as the main method of acquiring antibiotic resistance. Many bacterium can transfer a small, circular segment of DNA to other bacteria (even different species and even if the donor bacterium is dead), and much of these transfers involve genes for antibiotic resistance.