title: Bacterial resistance to antibodies: a model evolutionary study.
abstract: The tangled nature model of evolution (reviewed in the main text) is adapted for use in the study of antibody resistance acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Exchanges of DNA and the acquisition of resistant gene sequences are considered. For the parameters used, resistant strains rapidly proliferate and dominate, although initial intense antibiotic treatment can occasionally prevent this. Variation in genome distribution appears to be long tailed. If this is reflected in nature, the occurrence of resistant bacterial strains can be expected, as well as considerable variation in patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5820, USA. Electronic address: schulman@clarkson.edu.
authors.forename: Lawrence S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Schulman
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies
keywords: Ecology; Evolution; Horizontal gene transfer; Tangled nature