Which approach is described to combat antibiotic resistance?

Which approach is described to combat antibiotic resistance?

• A. Using higher antibiotic doses
• B. Relying on vaccines
• C. Bacteriophage with CRISPR-Cas system inserted into phages to target antibiotic resistance genes
• D. Traditional yeast-based therapy

Answer: (C)

Targeted, programmable phage therapy using CRISPR-Cas to disable antibiotic resistance genes is being studied as a way to tackle resistance. The idea is to use bacteriophages as delivery vehicles to bring a CRISPR-Cas system into specific bacteria. The CRISPR component is programmed to recognize particular resistance genes, so when the phage infects a bacterium, it cuts those genes. This can either kill the resistant bacterium or, more often, remove the resistance traits and allow the bacterium to be treated effectively with the right antibiotic again. This approach is advantageous because it targets only the resistant bacteria and their resistance determinants, potentially sparing beneficial microbes and adapting to different resistance mechanisms as they emerge. Yet challenges remain, such as the limited range of bacteria a given phage can infect, the possibility of bacteria evolving resistance to the phage, and the complexities of delivering this therapy safely in humans. Other options, like simply giving higher antibiotic doses, can worsen resistance and toxicity; vaccines help prevent infections and reduce antibiotic use; and traditional yeast-based therapies are not established strategies for countering antibiotic resistance.

Targeted, programmable phage therapy using CRISPR-Cas to disable antibiotic resistance genes is being studied as a way to tackle resistance. The idea is to use bacteriophages as delivery vehicles to bring a CRISPR-Cas system into specific bacteria. The CRISPR component is programmed to recognize particular resistance genes, so when the phage infects a bacterium, it cuts those genes. This can either kill the resistant bacterium or, more often, remove the resistance traits and allow the bacterium to be treated effectively with the right antibiotic again. This approach is advantageous because it targets only the resistant bacteria and their resistance determinants, potentially sparing beneficial microbes and adapting to different resistance mechanisms as they emerge. Yet challenges remain, such as the limited range of bacteria a given phage can infect, the possibility of bacteria evolving resistance to the phage, and the complexities of delivering this therapy safely in humans. Other options, like simply giving higher antibiotic doses, can worsen resistance and toxicity; vaccines help prevent infections and reduce antibiotic use; and traditional yeast-based therapies are not established strategies for countering antibiotic resistance.