Antibiotic-Snacking Bacteria Could Help Tackle Environmental Contamination

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing global problem, and contamination of soil and waterways by antibiotics is exacerbating the issue as resistance genes are readily transferred between bacterial communities. Some soil organisms aren’t just resistant to antibiotics, they can help to break them down or even use antibiotic drugs as a food source. What scientists haven’t understood is how bacteria use drugs such as penicillin as a source of carbon for energy.A team led by sc