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Issue: Antibiotic Resistance Marker Genes One concern that has been expressed is that the use of antibiotic resistance marker genes in some transgenic crops may foster the development of antibiotic resistance by harmful microbes. There is a possibility that harmful microbes may be able to capture antibiotic resistance genes either in the field from transgenic crops or their decaying crop residues or when the transgenic grains are feed to livestock or other animals. Antibiotic resistance remains a serious issue confronting clinical medicine. However, others argue that the type of antibiotic resistance markers that are used today are common in nature. In fact, the antibiotic resistance used does not provide resistance to most of the antibiotics used in clinical medicine.