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INNOVATION DRIVERS. "Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that are collectively referred to as the “mobilome” are key players in the genome evolution of prokaryotes and eukaryotes and are considered “genetic engineers” of biological innovation." https://lnkd.in/ejST9YZ View in LinkedIn

HANDLING FOREIGN DNA. " Because of the universality of the genetic code, the polymerases of one organism can accurately transcribe a gene from another organism. For example, different species of bacteria obtain antibiotic resistance genes by exchanging small chromosomes called plasmids." http://www.dnaftb.org/34/ View in LinkedIn

TWO PLASMID TYPES. "Classically, plasmids can be placed into two distinct categories, based on their ability to transfer themselves from one individual to another: the conjugative plasmids, which carry the genes enabling the transfer themselves, and mobilizable plasmids, which require other means, such as genes located on other plasmids." https://lnkd.in/exyreqd View in LinkedIn

SOME SPECIFICITY. "Plasmids are known to be able to move from one bacterial strain to another. However, plasmids cannot move to and replicate in all strains." https://lnkd.in/e7i6Qm3 View in LinkedIn

PLASMID ADDICTION SYSTEMS (PAS). In biotechnology, "Plasmids are frequently used to introduce the formation of additional proteins or even for the establishment of complete metabolic pathways...(PAS) preventing the survival of plasmid‐free cells due to selective killing." https://lnkd.in/eNgPKMn View in LinkedIn

DIRECT INTERACTION. "Many plasmids are incompatible with each other, meaning that when both are present in a given host, one of the two will fixate at the expense of the other. It is now known that such incompatibility is mainly due to mutual susceptibility to each plasmid’s replication and partition control system." https://lnkd.in/e8wKCHY View in LinkedIn

SUICIDE PLASMIDS are a "specific DNA fragment is inserted into a plasmid which is then introduced into a recipient strain and placed under conditions where the plasmid cannot replicate. Since the plasmid cannot replicate, selection for some property of the plasmid, such as an antibiotic resistance marker, results in isolates that have integrated the plasmid into the host chromosome via homology between the cloned fragment and the corresponding region of the recipient chromosome." https://lnkd.in/eQqvakJ View in LinkedIn

CRITICAL STEPS. "Not only must plasmids secure their replication, they must also ensure that, once replicated, the plasmids will be split in the daughter cells in such a way that each daughter contains at least one plasmid copy." https://lnkd.in/e8wKCHY View in LinkedIn

ENDLESSLY INVENTIVE. "From suicide plasmids to plasmid addiction, these transferable bits of DNA hold seemingly inexhaustible diversity of strategies for spread and survival, making them an intriguing and fascinating subject of research." https://lnkd.in/exyreqd View in LinkedIn

GENERATIONAL SURVIVAL. "To be maintained across generations of bacterial cells, plasmids must ensure that they replicate at least once during the life cycle of their host. As a result, most plasmids have evolved systems to enable and control their replication." https://lnkd.in/e8wKCHY View in LinkedIn