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IRON MINING. "Bacterial pathogens can also elaborate secreted heme-scavenging molecules that remove heme from host hemoproteins. These molecules, known as hemophores, are functionally analogous to siderophores but are proteins that target heme, whereas siderophores are small molecules that target iron atoms." https://lnkd.in/epJAeXg View in LinkedIn

PLASMID SECOND ROLE. "Plasmids can provide a basis for genomic rearrangements via homologous recombination and so they can facilitate the loss or acquisition of genes during these events, which eventually may lead to horizontal gene transfer (HGT)." http://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2148-10-59 View in LinkedIn

PLASMID FIRST ROLE. "Prokaryotic plasmids have a dual importance in the microbial world: first they have a great impact on the metabolic functions of the host cell, providing additional traits that can be accumulated in the cell without altering the gene content of the bacterial chromosome." https://lnkd.in/e4bYaQJ View in LinkedIn

OVERLAPPING GENE SETS. "The extended virus world, which includes both bona fide viruses and related mobile elements, is a complex network of genomes that share partially overlapping sets of genes." https://lnkd.in/eqriJpu View in LinkedIn

COLLABORATIVE ACTIVES. "Plasmids often encode and express genes of a variety of functions apart from those for their own mobility and replication, such as antibiotic resistance, virulence, environmental protection (including biofilm formation), DNA repair and supplementary metabolic pathways. They can thus be seen as collaborative elements that enhance the functionality and adaptiveness of their host cells." https://lnkd.in/e7VVjkg View in LinkedIn

INDEPENDENT GOALS. "The complexities of plasmid characteristics have led some biologists to describe them as ‘subcellular organisms’ or endosymbionts with distinct autonomy from their host. Plasmids are often described as selfish in the same way that other genetic elements are because they encode genes that are not essential for the host and may impose fitness costs." https://lnkd.in/e7VVjkg View in LinkedIn

SELF-REPLICATING PLASMIDS. "Many are mobile genetic elements that direct their own transmission to new host cells during conjugation (the unicellular equivalent of sex), thereby spreading themselves to closely related and evolutionarily distant prokaryotes. They are then transmitted vertically, from mother to daughter cells." https://lnkd.in/e7VVjkg View in LinkedIn

PLASMID PARASITES. "Plasmids are circular, double-stranded DNA (g) molecules that are separate from a cell’s chromosomal DNA. These extrachromosomal DNAs, which occur naturally in bacteria, yeast, and some higher eukaryotic cells, exist in a parasitic or symbiotic relationship with their host cell." https://lnkd.in/eukBn2t View in LinkedIn

AUTONOMOUS REPLICATORS. "Conjugative (horizontally transmissible) plasmids are autonomous replicators, whose "self-interests" do not necessarily overlap with those of their hosts. This situation causes plasmids and bacteria to sometimes experience differing selection pressures." https://lnkd.in/ex7Abte View in LinkedIn

OPEN SOURCE EVOLUTION, by mobile genetic elements. "Recent work shows promise of improved mobile genetic element (MGE) genomics and consequent opportunities to take advantage — and avoid the dangers — of these 'natural genetic engineers'." https://lnkd.in/eUjKi_t View in LinkedIn