Plasmids

Basic features of plasmids

Small circular double stranded DNA molecules that can exist
independently of host chromosomes and are present in many
bacteria ( also in some eukaryotic organisms like Entamoeba
histolytica, yeast etc.)
They have their own replication origins and are
autonomously replicating ( so called an replicon) and stably
inherited.

Smaller plasmids use host replicative enzymes to make

copies of themselves whereas some larger plasmids carry genes
for replicative enzymes
Few types of plasmids replicate by inserting themselves into the
bacterial chromosomes- called integrative plasmids or
episomes

Plasmids genes are not essential for survival of the host, but
essential
under certain environments such as in the presence of
antibiotics.
In laboratory, antibiotic resistance is used as a selectable
marker

In Rhizobium Leguminosarum genes for N2 fixation and

Size
of plasmids
nodule
formation are located in plasmids
Plasmid
range from about 1kb for smallest and 250 kb for largest p
Smaller plasmids are much desirable for gene cloning
Larger plasmids are less in number where as smaller plasmids are
in number

Plasmid

Size

Organism

pUC8

2.1kb

E.Coli

ColE1

6.4kb

E.Coli

RP4

54kb

Pseudomonas

Copy number

Refers to number of plasmids that normally found in a single bacterial

Number ranges from 1 to more than 50 per cell.(low copy number 1-4
Or high copy number 10 -100/cell)

This number is specific for a given plasmid residing in a bacterial cell

Copy number is controlled by genes on plasmid

Types of plasmids
A) Based on copy number There are two types of plasmids
1.Relaxed plasmids:
-which are normally maintained at multiple copies per
cell.
2.Stringent plasmids:
- which have a limited number of copies per cell
B) Based on function coded by the plasmid genes- Five types
1.Fertility or F plasmids :

- F factor is 94.5 kb long and bears tra-genes, responsib

cell attachment and plasmid transfer between specific bacterial strain

during conjugation.
- Also has insertion sequence-assit plasmids to i
into host chromosomes. So it is an episome.

2. Resistance or R plasmids:
- Confer antibiotic resistance on the bacteria that contain

them.
- They have genes that codes for enzymes capable of
destroying or
modifying antibiotics such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol
and
kanamycin
- Some have single resistance genes others have as many
as eight
- Many R plasmids are conjugative Plasmids - they spread
throughout the population but not rapidly as F plasmid.

3. Col plasmids:

- codes for colicins proteins(bacteriocins) that kill other bacter

Eg: ColE1 of E.coli
- Usually act against closely related strains
- Bacteriocins Kill cells by forming channels in the plasma mem
thus increase its permeability.
- Also degrade DNA and RNA or attack peptidoglycan and thei
weaken the cell wall.

4. Degradative plasmids:
-which enable the bacterium to metabolize unusual substanc
such as toluene or salicylic acid. Eg: TOL of Pseudomonas p

5. Virulence plasmids:
- Confer pathogenicity on the host bacterium. Eg: Ti plasmids
Agrobacterium tumefaciens which induce crown gall disease
dicotyledonous plants.

mid Incompatibility Grou

Two closely related plasmids usually cannot be coexist

in the progeny of a single cell. Such plasmids are said to
be incompatible.
Because these plasmid share the same
regulatory mechanism of control for replication;
the replication of one plasmid is controlled by the
other and vice versa.
Finally one of the two plasmids would be lost from
the cell as a result of random partitioning of plasmids
into daughter cells during cell division.

F and R 386 plasmids share same mechanism of

control and are incompatible to each other. (They
have same repressors)
Eg.

 Plasmids which have different mechanisms of control would

replicate
independently of one another and each would be partitioned
between
daughter cells.
-Thus, both plasmids would be maintained in the daughter
cells and these plasmids are said to be compatible.
- Common terminology is used to say that they belong to
different
incompatibility (inc) groups.
Eg. ColE1 and F plasmid have different mechanisms of control.
( have different repressor)
--Every plasmid belongs to one incompatibility group (inc).
--There are more than 30 known incompatibility groups in E.coli
and 13 inc group in Staphylococcus aureus

Incompatibilty group Plasmids

FI
FII

F, R386
R1

FIII

Col B-K99, Col B-K166

FIV

R124
R62, R64, R483 (at
least 5 subgroups)
R391
R46
R724
RP4, RK2

I
J
N
O
P

Q
T
W

RSF1010
R401
R388, S-a