When first used in medicine in the 1940s, penicillin was uniformly effective in killing the bacterium staphylococcus aureus. today, ____________________ has led to an increase in antibiotic-resistant alleles, and humans are increasingly at risk from untreatable staphylococcus aureus infections. a. molecular genetics b. natural selection in staphylococcus aureus populations c. natural selection in human populations d. uncleanliness in hospitals e. the substitution of methicillin for penicillin?

Biology · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021

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b. natural selection in Staphylococcus aureus populations

This choice correctly fills in the blank as it describes the process that has led to the increase in antibiotic-resistant alleles within the Staphylococcus aureus populations. This resistance arises because in the presence of the antibiotic, those bacteria that by chance have mutations that allow them to survive the antibiotic's effects are the ones that live to reproduce. Over time, these resistant bacteria become more prevalent, and ultimately, the antibiotic loses its effectiveness against this population.