To develop resistance to antibiotics, the following factors are needed:
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The presence of antibiotics in the bacteria’s environment - This allows selective pressure, where only bacteria with some level of resistance have a survival advantage.
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The existence of resistance genes in the population - Resistance can be due to natural mutations or acquired genes that confer the ability to survive antibiotic treatment.
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Transfer of alleles from one generation to the next - This includes vertical gene transfer (from parent to offspring) and horizontal gene transfer (between bacteria), which allows for the propagation of resistance traits.
Competition between bacterial species can play a role in the dynamics of bacterial populations, but it is not a necessary condition for developing antibiotic resistance. Therefore, you should select the following options:
- The presence of antibiotics in the bacteria’s environment
- The existence of resistance genes in the population
- Transfer of alleles from one generation to the next