New E. coli Evolutionary Map Could Defeat Antibiotic Resistance for Good
The study analysed over 2,000 E. coli samples collected across two decades. Using advanced long-read sequencing, researchers mapped how the bacteria evolved over 300 years. Their focus was on plasmids—circular DNA structures that carry genes for antibiotic resistance and toxin production.
The evolutionary map provides a detailed timeline of E. coli’s adaptation. It reveals how plasmids have driven antibiotic resistance and toxin production. These insights may help design new treatments and reduce the threat of drug-resistant infections.
