E. coli Resistance to Ampicillin

Overview

Objectives/Goals The goal of this study was to test the resistance of E.coli to Ampicillin through the process of transformation in the DNA. The hypothesis of this pharmacology experiment identifies that if transformation in DNA of the E.coli exists due to exposure to a low (10mg/ml), medium (37.5mg/ml) and high (75mg/ml) dosages of Ampicillin, the E. coli bacterium would become resistant to the antibiotic Ampicillin within 3 generations. Methods/Materials Through testing procedures, I tested the E.coli bacterium in Ampicillin culture to find out if change in the DNA structure would take place within three generations. Culturing E.coli in Ampicillim strengths of 10mg/ml, 37.5mg/ml and 75mg/ml the resistance of growing the E.coli bacteriwm was charted. Five trial plates tested all three strengths of Ampicillin, along with a control group in the 1st generation. Multiple large colonies of growth of E.coli from the 10mg/ml in the 1st generation were plucked and cultured on the 2nd generation 5 trials in each strength of Ampicillin. Small and spotted colonies of E. coli growth were plucked from the 37.5mg/ml 2nd generation and was cultured in the 3rd generation, which had 3 trials each of 37.5mg/ml and 75mg/ml strengths. Results The 1st generation results indicated that E.cole grew abundantly in multiple large colonies in all 5 trials of 10mg/ml strength of Ampicillin in the 1st generation. The results indicate that the E.coli grew abundantly in the 37.5mg/ml by the 2nd generation, as small and spotted colonies of E.coli were grown on all 5 trial plates. A further test revealed that in the 75mg/ml strength of Ampicillim the E.coli grew abundantly in small colonies by the 3rd generation in all 3 trials plates. Conclusions/Discussion In conclusion the data supports my hypothesis in that E.coli will come resistant to Ampicillin within 3 generations by transformation of the DNA. Importance of this study indicates that to avoid transformation of DNA in bacterium it is important to kill the bacterium with a proper dose of anticiotics the first time it is treated so the bacterium does not become resistant to antibiotics through DNA transformation in future generations. In further studies I would like to grow thes Ampicillin reisitant E.coli bacterium again and then try other antibiotics on this "superbug" strain to see which one kills it completely.

Competition history

• CSEF 2003 Pharmacology/ Toxicology · Entry S1499

Resources

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