[Antibiotic resistance factors and "jumping" genes (author's transl)]

Antibiotics are natural products inhibiting the growth of bacteria. In research they play an important role in studying the details of bacterial macromolecular synthesis. However, their major importance lies in application, i.e., in treatment of infectious bacterial diseases and as additives to livestock feed. The application of antibiotics, however, presents serious problems: the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains which impede therapy.