A bacterium acquires a plasmid that encodes for an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the beta-lactam ring of penicillin. This mechanism of resistance is an example of which of the following?

The correct answer to the question "A bacterium acquires a plasmid that encodes for an enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the beta-lactam ring of penicillin. This mechanism of resistance is an example of which of the following?" is Option C: Enzymatic degradation.

The other options — A) Efflux pumps, B) Target site modification, D) Reduced permeability — are incorrect for this USMLE Exam Prep question. As explained above: The hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring by enzymes like beta-lactamase (penicillinase) directly inactivates the antibiotic. This is a common mechanism of resistance to penicillin and cephalosporins vi…