---
title: "Sneaky Bacteria Can Swap Genes, Making Them Immune to Antibiotics"
description: "Cornell scientists discovered a bacterial gene that makes them resistant to last-resort antibiotics. They hope it will help doctors screen for superbugs."
date: "2019-05-08"
modified: "2019-05-08"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/bacteria-swap-genes-immune-antibiotics"
categories:
  - "Bacteria"
  - "Health & Medicine"
  - "Medical"
  - "Pathogens"
tags:
  - "antibiotics"
  - "biology"
  - "medicine"
  - "the digest"
---

# Sneaky Bacteria Can Swap Genes, Making Them Immune to Antibiotics

![Cornell scientists discovered a bacterial gene that makes them resistant to last-resort antibiotics. They hope it will help doctors screen for superbugs.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/bacteria-swap-genes-immune-antibiotics.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Prawny via Pixabay\</em\>*

## Antibiotic Resistance

A newly-discovered gene gives infectious bacteria the ability to survive even the strongest antibiotics.

Cornell University biologists found the bacterial gene *mcr-9*, which when activated makes bacteria resistant to an "antibiotic of last resort" called colistin, [according to research](<https://mbio.asm.org/content/10/3/e00853-19>) published in the journal *mBio* on Tuesday. If bacteria with the gene were to spread, doctors could find themselves facing a dangerous and perhaps untreatable superbug.

## Colony of the Traveling Genes

We’ll give you the bad news first: *mcr-9* is highly mobile, per the study. Bacteria can swap genetic information into their DNA, and the readiness with which *mcr-9* is transferable means that this [antibiotic resistance](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/antibiotic-prescriptions-unnecessary>) could rapidly proliferate, rendering existing treatments all-but-useless.

"If you go to a hospital and this gene is floating around, that can be trouble. The gene is moveable. It jumps," said lead researcher Martin Wiedmann in a [university-published press release](<http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/05/cornell-scientists-discover-new-antibiotic-resistance-gene>). "In treatments, if colistin does not work, it literally could mean death for patients. If colistin resistance spreads, a lot of people will die."

## Preventative Measures

Now the good news: identifying the gene responsible for colistin resistance means that doctors can screen for it when admitting a patient into a hospital.

Measures like these could keep these *mcr-9*-equipped superbugs from spreading while scientists try to [develop new ways](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/new-antibiotic-albomycin>) to kill them off.

**READ MORE:** [Scientists identify 'jumping' superbug gene resistant to last-resort antibiotic](<https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2019/05/07/Scientists-identify-jumping-superbug-gene-resistant-to-last-resort-antibiotic/7771557252217/>) \[*UPI*\]

**More on antibiotic resistance:** *[There's a New Antibiotic in Town, and We Can Create It in the Lab](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/new-antibiotic-albomycin>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)