Antibiotic Resistance Simulation

Initial reproduction
Add a small number of bacteria (e.g. click once or twice).

• A. What do you notice happens over time to the number of bacteria?

• B. Do all bacteria reproduce at the same rate, or do some reproduce faster/slower?

Mutation appearance
After a while, some bacteria may change or show a new trait (resistance).

• A. At what point do you first see a mutated/resistant bacterium (approximately how many rounds or after how many reproductions)?

• B. Are mutations rare or common in your run?

Antibiotic dose effect
Use the “dose antibiotic” control.

• A. What happens to the population immediately after applying a dose? Which bacteria survive, which die?

• B. How does the pattern of death/survival change over successive doses?

Resistance and survival
Observe resistant vs non-resistant bacteria under dosing.

• A. Over multiple doses, does the proportion of resistant bacteria increase, decrease, or stay about the same?

• B. Describe how their survival compares under strong antibiotic pressure.