Antibiotics and other medicines Flashcards
What is antibiotic resistance?
There is genetic variation in a pop of bacteria. Genetic mutation make some bacteria naturally resistance to na antibiotic
For the bacterium, the aility to resist an antibiotic is a big advantage. Better to be able to survive, even ina host who’s being treated with antibiotics to get rid tof the infection, and so it lives for longer and reproduces many ore times
This leads to the allele for the antibiotic resistance being passed on to lots of offspring. This is how resistance becomes more common over time
This is a problem fro people who become infected with these bacteria, because you cant easily get rid of them with antibiotics
Increased use of antibiotics means that antibiotic resistance is increasing. Superbugs that are resistant to most known antibiotics are becoming more common. Means we are less able to treat some potentially life-threatening bacterial infections
Why do sources of medicine need to be protected?
Need to be protected by maintaining the biodiversity on earth. If we dont protect them, some species could die out before we get a change to study them
What is personalised medicines?
Your genes determine how your body responses to certain drugs.
Medicines tailored to an individuals DNA. Theory is that if doctors have your genetic info, they can use it to predict how you will respond to different drugs and only prescribe the ones that will be most effective for you
What is synthetic biology?
Involves technology to design and make things like artificial proteins, cells and even microorganisms.
Has applications in lots of different areas, including medicine.
