<prompt> The following phenomenon is responsible for antibiotic resistance in bacteria due to slime production:Co-aggregationBiofilm formationMutation evolving an altered target site for antibioticsMutation evolving a target bypass mechanism  <response>: Ans. is b i.e. Biofilm formationRef. Greenwood1 s Medical Microbiology, 16thep 16, 38, 86Slime is an amorphous, viscid colloidal material that is secreted extracellularly by some bacteria e.g. Staph epidermidis. The slime remains around the bacteria and provides a matrix in which biofilm formation can take place.In biofilm formation the bacterial colony is spread very thinly 300-400Nm thick for e.g. formation of biofilms on catheters and prosthetic devices.This biofilm formation in the slime provides antibiotic resistance by restricting access of drugs to the bacterium. 