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The emergence, maintenance, and demise of diversity in a spatially variable antibiotic regime

Alanna M Leale1, Rees Kassen1

  • 1Department of Biology University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario K1N 6N5 Canada.

Evolution Letters
|October 5, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spread can be delayed by spatially varying drug delivery, but not prevented. This occurs due to evolving trade-offs between resistance and growth rates in Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant global health challenge.
  • Effective management of existing antibiotics is crucial due to a lack of new drug development.
  • Understanding how drug delivery impacts resistance evolution is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how varying drug delivery patterns influence the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
  • To explore the evolutionary dynamics of resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa under different drug exposure scenarios.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Manipulation of temporal and spatial drug delivery patterns.
  • Analysis of resistance evolution and genotype coexistence.

Main Results:

  • Resistance readily evolves under both temporal and spatial drug variation.
  • Resistance fixed rapidly under temporal variation but not spatial variation.
  • Spatial variation allowed temporary coexistence of resistant and sensitive strains due to a resistance-growth trade-off.
  • Coexistence was eventually lost as fitter resistant strains proliferated.

Conclusions:

  • Spatially variable drug prescriptions can delay, but not ultimately prevent, the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
  • Evolving fitness trade-offs drive the emergence and loss of biodiversity in microbial populations.
  • This study provides insights into the complex interplay between drug exposure, evolution, and resistance dynamics.
Keywords:
Evolutionary medicineexperimental evolutionmicrobestrade‐offs

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