Bacteria can develop mutations that provide them with resistance to antibiotic medications. Why would giving multiple antibiotics at once be less likely to create a population of resistant bacteria?

Bacteria would be able to survive the destruction of several genes at the same time.

Most bacteria would not develop all the mutations needed to resist multiple antibiotics given at the same time.

Giving one antibiotic at a time would allow the bacteria enough time to mutate.

Bacteria would need a base pair substitution to survive several antibiotics at a time.

Question

Bacteria can develop mutations that provide them with resistance to antibiotic medications. Why would giving multiple antibiotics at once be less likely to create a population of resistant bacteria?

 Bacteria would be able to survive the destruction of several genes at the same time.

 Most bacteria would not develop all the mutations needed to resist multiple antibiotics given at the same time.

 Giving one antibiotic at a time would allow the bacteria enough time to mutate.

 Bacteria would need a base pair substitution to survive several antibiotics at a time.

anonymous · Answer

Most bacteria would not develop all the mutations needed to resist multiple antibiotics given at the same time. 

Please vote best answer if this was helpful.

thomaster · Answer

Yea they will die from various causes before they have the chance to mutate. I'd choose second answer too.

kayne · Answer

Indeed, the second option seems appropriate. Since the bacteria would be subjected to different antibiotics and before that population could develop a certain resistance, they would be dead. But also, being subjected to different " destructive environments", it would be difficult for them to develop a certain resistance to all of them and if they do to one in particular, another member of the multiple-antibiotic group would kill it.