Antibiotic resistance marker gene used in genetically modified
crops found in bacteria isolated from all China’s rivers.
Genetically engineered antibiotic resistance A new study
conducted in China finds 6 out of 6 major rivers tested positive
for ampicillin antibiotic resistant bacteria . Sequencing of the
gene responsible, the blá gene, shows it is a synthetic version
derived from a lab and different from the wild type. This
suggests to the researchers that synthetic plasmid vectors from
genetic engineering applications may be the source of the
ampicillin resistance, which is affecting the human population.
The blá gene confers resistance to a wide range of therapeutic
antibiotics and the widespread environment pollution with blá
resistant bacteria is a major public health concern. The
development of antibiotic resistant pathogens, commonly dubbed
“superbugs”, are increasingly common due to the overuse of
antibiotics in medical and veterinary practices, and the ever-
increasing application of genetic engineer