What are the facts: Bacteria found in the sediments of the Sunderban delta region can withstand antibiotics, a new study has shown. The bacteria are developing antibiotic-resistant genes (ARG) due to the constant dumping of waste and pollutants in the network of waterbodies. Researchers found bacteria such as Rhizobium, Marinobacter, Arthrobacter and Cycloclasticusn in the sample collected from five islands. These bacteria are adept at degrading heavy pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). At least 42 ARGs were found at various levels in these bacteria where 17 resistance genes were enriched while 25 were depleted. The study also found the diversity of ARGs in the mangrove region of Sunderbans and Kerala to be much higher than that of China.
Explained | Genetics and its Mendelian inheritance
