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Related Concept Videos

Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

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Overview
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Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within...
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Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

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Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
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Production of Antibiotics01:27

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Penicillin, one of the earliest and most widely used antibiotics, is produced industrially by the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Large stirred-tank bioreactors ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of liters maintain tightly controlled temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen conditions to support fungal metabolism and maximize antibiotic yield. Penicillin is a secondary metabolite, synthesized primarily during the stationary growth phase, which requires a carefully managed...
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Marine Microbial Ecology01:30

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Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...
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Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

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Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 24, 2026

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
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An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium

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Antibiotic Pollution Elevates Microbial Methylmercury Production.

Zhanhua Zhang1, Chenyang Zhang2, Wenshan Chen3

  • 1Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China.

Environmental Science & Technology
|March 23, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Antibiotics from aquaculture farms increase toxic methylmercury production by microbes. Certain antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and tetracycline enhance mercury uptake, posing risks to food safety and security.

Keywords:
antibioticscross-membrane transportfood safetymethylmercurymicrobial methylation

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Microbiology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Aquaculture is crucial for food security but often located in mercury-rich coastal sediments.
  • Microbial methylation in sediments converts mercury into a toxic, bioaccumulative form.
  • Sustainable aquaculture requires minimizing unintended environmental impacts, including mercury methylation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of antibiotics released from aquaculture on microbial methylmercury production.
  • To determine how different antibiotics affect mercury methylation by sulfate-reducing bacteria.
  • To understand the mechanisms by which antibiotics influence mercury bioavailability and methylation.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mercury methylation rates in coastal sediments exposed to different antibiotics.
  • Microbial assays to assess the effects of ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and tobramycin on mercury methylation.
  • Investigation of cellular mechanisms, including membrane permeability and metal transporter activity, influenced by antibiotics.

Main Results:

  • Antibiotics significantly enhanced methylmercury production by sulfate-reducing bacteria.
  • Ciprofloxacin and tetracycline promoted Hg(II) uptake by increasing cell membrane permeability and metal transporter expression.
  • Specific Hg(II)-antibiotic complexes facilitated Hg(II) transport across cell membranes, overcoming rate-limiting steps.
  • Tobramycin showed negligible effects on mercury methylation.

Conclusions:

  • Antibiotic release from aquaculture farms is an overlooked factor that stimulates methylmercury production.
  • Curtailing antibiotic discharge from aquafarms is essential for ensuring food safety and security.
  • Understanding antibiotic-microbe-metal interactions is critical for sustainable aquaculture practices.