Deforestation increases antibiotic resistance in the soil microbiome

Antibiotic resistance in the soil microbiome, known as the soil resistome, has been shown to increase as a result of deforestation by an extensive sequencing study. A recent Brazilian research collaboration, led by the Center for Nuclear Energy at the University of Sao Paulo (CENA-USP; Brazil), has conducted extensive DNA sequencing to determine the impact of deforestation on the level of antibiotic resistance in soil microbes. The findings show a dramatic increase in genetic markers for antibiotic-resistant soil microbes. In a typical soil microbiome, bacteria produce different toxins with which to attack each other in an attempt to gain a...