plasmid (redirected from Multicopy plasmid)

plasmid

Genetic element not contained within a chromosome. It occurs in many bacterial strains. Plasmids are circular DNA molecules that replicate independently of the bacterial chromosome. They are not essential for the bacterium but may give it a selective advantage. Some plasmids determine the production of proteins that can kill other bacteria; others make bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Plasmids are extremely valuable tools in the fields of molecular biology and genetics, specifically in the area of genetic engineering.

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plasmid [′plaz·məd]

(genetics)

An extrachromosomal genetic element found among various strains ofEscherichia coliand other bacteria.

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Plasmid

A circular extrachromosomal genetic element that is ubiquitous in prokaryotes and has also been identified in a number of eukaryotes. In general, bacterial plasmids can be classified into two groups on the basis of the number of genes and functions they carry. The larger plasmids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules of around 100 kilobase (kb) pairs, which is sufficient to code for approximately 100 genes. There is usually a small number of copies of these plasmids per host chromosome, so that their replication must be precisely coordinated with the cell division cycle. The plasmids in the second group are smaller in size, about 6–10 kb. These plasmids may harbor 6–10 genes and are usually present in multiple copies (10–20 per chromosome). See Gene

Plasmids have been identified in a large number of bacterial genera. Some bacterial species harbor plasmids with no known functions (cryptic plasmids) which have been identified as small circular molecules present in the bacterial DNA. The host range of a particular plasmid is usually limited to closely related genera. Some plasmids, however, are much more promiscuous and have a much broader host range.

The functions specified by different bacterial plasmids are usually quite specialized in nature. Moreover, they are not essential for cell growth since the host bacteria are viable without a plasmid when the cells are cultured under conditions that do not select for plasmid-specified gene products. Plasmids thus introduce specialized functions to host cells which provide versatility and adaptability for growth and survival. Plasmids which confer antibiotic resistance (R plasmids) have been extensively characterized because of their medical importance. Plasmids have played a seminal role in the spectacular advances in the area of genetic engineering. Individual genes can be inserted into specific sites on plasmids in cell cultures and the recombinant plasmid thus formed introduced into a living cell by the process of bacterial transformation. See Genetic engineering