New paper alert!! Survival of the resistant: When Myxococcus xanthus dies, antibiotic-resistant microbes rise, even without drug exposure. Our manuscript is now online at @currentbiology.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... - ThreadSky

iamsamayp.bsky.social • 10 days ago

New paper alert!!
Survival of the resistant: When Myxococcus xanthus dies, antibiotic-resistant microbes rise, even without drug exposure.
Our manuscript is now online at @currentbiology.bsky.social
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225001319

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iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

We usually blame antibiotics for driving resistance. But what if microbial interactions alone could do the job? We found that the mass death of Myxococcus xanthus releases toxic compounds that enrich antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil. 🌱🦠

iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

M. xanthus is a bacterial predator, but it has a fatal flaw—it kills others but also self-destructs during its life cycle. When it starves, it forms fruiting bodies, with 90% of its cells dying in the process. That’s when things get interesting… 💀

iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

Those dying cells release diffusible toxic compounds into the environment. Instead of wiping out competitors, these compounds select for bacteria that can survive toxic stress—including antibiotic-resistant microbes. ⚠️

iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

In both lab and natural soil samples, we found that areas where M. xanthus is present have higher levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, even without any human antibiotics. Resistance thrives, just from the predator’s death. 🌍🔬

iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

The big picture? Antibiotic resistance doesn’t always need antibiotics. Natural microbial interactions—like predator-prey dynamics—can shape resistance in ways we hadn’t considered. Evolution is playing a long game. ⚔️

iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

Our study highlights how microbial ecology can influence the spread of resistance. Time to rethink how we approach antibiotic resistance! 🚀

iamsamayp.bsky.social•10 days ago

We show:
•M. xanthus enriches antibiotic-resistant isolates in soil
•Starvation-induced lysis of M. xanthus releases growth-inhibitory compounds
•Growth inhibitors from M. xanthus lysis enrich resistant bacteria
•Death during M. xanthus fruiting body formation impacts soil antibiotic resistomes

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