The diagram represents a model of how bacteria become resistant to an antibiotic, allowing bacteria to survive treatment. Which BEST explains how the indicated step in the model allows bacteria to develop resistance.

Genetic mutations that promote resistance occur

The bacteria are infected by viruses that confer resistance

Alleles for antibiotic resistance become dominant over recessive alleles

A portion of the genetic material is re-replicated, allowing for resistance

A

Explanation:

Genetic mutations randomly occur in the population of cells. If, by chance, there is a mutation that gives the bacterial cell resistance to an antibiotic, then that mutation will remain in the population.

This is because it gives the cell a competitive advantage (because it is more likely to survive than its non-resistant counterparts). If it survives, it will divide and pass the mutation on to its daughter cells, which will survive. This keeps happening until an entire population will carry the mutation.