’Silent’ mutations help bacteria to evade antibiotics

Researchers have discovered a new way hospital-acquired infections resist antibiotics, through a 'silent' genetic mutation. Bacteria can acquire resistance to antibiotics through random mutations in their DNA that provide them with an advantage that helps them survive. Finding genetic mutations, and discovering how they help bacteria to survive antibiotic attack, is key to helping us fight back with new drugs. The researchers have now discovered a 'silent' mutation in the genetic code that leads to antibiotic resistance. Typically, mutations of this kind would be overlooked, and they may already be present in other infectious bacteria. The team, led by researchers at Imperial College London and including international collaborators, published their results today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . Rising resistance.