Reactive resistance

Abstract

Treatment of bacteria with low concentrations of bactericidal antibiotics can generate multidrug resistance through an increase in the mutation rate that is driven by the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), according to a report from Mike Kohanski, Mark DePristo and Jim Collins in a recent issue of Molecular Cell. Previous work from Kohanski, Collins and co-workers had shown that all major classes of bactericidal antibiotics kill cells by inducing the formation of highly toxic hydroxyl radicals, which can damage DNA, proteins and lipids.