An investigator is studying carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter. The strain is inoculated onto a solid medium lacking antibiotics. The resultant colonies are then screened for carbapenem resistance using replica plating. Carbapenem-sensitive colonies are observed at a frequency of 1 per 50 cells. Growth on trypic soy broth agar is shown.
Which of the following mechanisms best explains attenuated carbapenem resistance in these colonies?
Chromosomal alteration
Conjugation
Plasmid loss
Point mutation
Transduction
Transformation
Transposition
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Cut-to-the-chase Answer (0:34):
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HY USMLE Answer (7:34):
