Question

What are the common and useful features of plasmid

Answer 1

Plasmids represent extra-genomic DNA in prokaryotic cells. These plasmids are routinely used for genetic engineering and as vectors for carrying a target gene and its transfer to the host cell. It has following features:

1. Plasmids are naturally available in multiple sizes thus making them useful for carrying gene if interest of very small as well as very large sizes.
2. Plasmids are highly stable double stranded circular DNA which can undergo spontaneous circularization as well as stabilization in vitro, making them easy to handle.
3. Plasmids generally contain a restriction endonuclease site pr can be inserted with one for easy manipulation.
4. Plasmids can be used to carry gene of interest from multiple hosts including prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
5. The mechanical sheer strength capability of plasmids ate very high making tgem easy to handle.
6. Plasmids also contain genes for physiological functions such as sexual reproduction, antibiotic resistance, conjugation ability etc.

Thus, this suggests some of the useful properties of plasmids which make them highly useful.