Integrons and gene cassettes: a genetic construction kit for bacteria.

The battle between humans and microbes has been waged since time immemorial. For a brief period, following the discovery and development of the main groups of anti biotics, mankind appeared to gain the upper hand against the legion of bacteria responsible for much morbidity and mortality among humans and their domestic animals, but the advantage was illusory, because the bacteria were quietly and efficiently evolving and acquiring resistance genes and resistance gene arrays that provided them with protection against the pharmacopoeia of antibiotics deployed to contain them.

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