Final answer:
True, plasmids can contain genes that give bacteria resistance to antibiotics, leading to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant diseases. These genes can be transferred between bacteria through various mechanisms, contributing to the spread of resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
True. Plasmids can indeed contain genes that confer resistance to antibiotics. This antibiotic resistance is a significant concern in the medical community, as it leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. These pathogens can cause diseases that are challenging to treat because antibiotic resistance genes are often found on plasmids or in transposons that can move between bacteria through mechanisms such as conjugation, transformation, and transduction.
Bacterial plasmids, like the F plasmid, can transfer DNA between bacteria during conjugation, leading to the transfer of resistance genes. R plasmids can contain multiple genes that confer resistance to various antibiotics and have the ability to transfer between different bacterial species. Additionally, when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, chromosomal mutations may arise that provide resistance, which can be transferred to subsequent generations, or resistance genes can be moved from plasmids to chromosomes via transposons, further spreading resistance.