BIO 3996: ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA

Brenda Knotts

Dept. of Biological Sciences

Eastern Illinois University

(217) 581-7285

bdknotts@eiu.edu

MEETING DATES: Feb. 2, 9, 16, & 23

MEETING TIMES: 6-9pm, LFS 3080

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

This course will describe the cellular targets of antibiotics, the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance, the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria, and steps that can be taken to slow this process.

DAY 1: Feb. 2, 2005

I. Introduction

A. How wide-spread is antibiotic resistance?

B. What are some of the diseases caused by bacteria that are becoming antibiotic-resistant?

C. What does this mean for future treatment?

(“History of Antibiotics” video, group assignments and presentations)

II. What are antibiotics and why do they only work against bacteria?

A. What are antibiotics and where do they come from?

B. Why don’t antibiotics kill viruses or my own cells?

1. Cell theory

2. Prokaryotes and eukaryotes

a. DNA e. cell wall

b. cytoplasm f. nucleus

c. ribosomes g. rough ER

d. cell membrane h. Golgi body

3. Three domains of life

4. Viruses

Homework: Read about normal flora and opportunistic infections

DAY 2: Feb. 9, 2005

QUIZ over Day 1 material

III. Why do I get a vaginal yeast infection when I take antibiotics?

A. Lifestyles of bacteria

B. Normal flora

C. Opportunistic infections

(summary statement)

IV. What are the targets of antibiotics?

A. DNA replication

B. Protein synthesis

1. Transcription

2. Translation

C. Cell wall synthesis

1. Gram positive cell walls

2. Gram negative cell walls

3. Mycoplasma

D. Cell membrane permeability

E. Metabolic pathways

(worksheet on IV A and B in class)

Homework due 2/16: Penicillin Worksheet

DAY 3: Feb. 16, 2005

QUIZ over Day 2 material

V. What is antibiotic resistance?

A. What mechanisms do bacteria use to resist the effects of an antibiotic?

1. Inactivate the drug

2. Keep the drug out of the cell or pump it out

3. Change drug target so drug can’t bind to it

4. Overproduce target protein to overcome effect of antibiotic

5. Make new protein that isn’t targeted

VI. How does a population of bacteria become resistant to an antibiotic?

A. Mutations

B. Natural selection

C. Gene swapping

1. Plasmid v. Chromosomal DNA

2. Methods of DNA transfer

a. Conjugation

b. Transformation

c. Transduction

(Summary statements)

Homework: Read articles for 2/23

DAY 4: Feb. 23, 2005

VII. What are the “costs” of antibiotic resistant bacteria?

VIII. What can we do to slow the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria?

A. Medical community

B. Agricultural community

C. You and I

(Group discussions and final summary statements)