A team of researchers hypothesizes that some bacteria in soil have evolved chemical defenses against antibiotic-producing fungi, leading to ongoing chemical "arms races" in microbial communities.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the team's hypothesis?
- A
Some antibiotics used in medicine were originally isolated from soil fungi.
- B
Soil contains many species of microorganisms.
- Ccheck_circle
Soil bacteria living near antibiotic-producing fungi were found to carry genes encoding precise antibiotic-resistance mechanisms targeted to those fungi's specific compounds.
- D
Microbial communities in soil have been studied for decades.
Explanation
A reports targeted resistance to nearby fungi's specific antibiotics, exactly the signature of an evolutionary arms race. B, C, and D are general background.