PRESENTATION ON PLASMID
BY….
SAMIR MOIRANGTHEM
Msc.MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
RIPANS
Contents
• Introduction
• Definition
• Structure of plasmid
• Properties
• Functions
• Types and aplications.
PLASMID
• Plasmids are defined as double stranded, circular ,extra-
chromosomal genetic elements that replicate
independently of the host cell chromosome and are stably
inherited.
• Coined by Joshua Lederberg in 1952.
• Mainly found in bacteria, but they can also be found in
archaea and multicellular organisms.
• Plasmids usually carry at least one gene, and many of the
genes that plasmids carry are beneficial to their host
organisms.
• Although they have separate genes from their hosts, they
are not considered to be independent life.
• Plasmids differ from chromosomes in being small and coding for
genes that are non-essential for the bacterial survival.
• Absence of plasmids doesn’t kill bacterium, but their presence
provides additional benefits to the bacterial cell.
• Plasmids vary in size; smallest plasmid is only 846 bp long and
contains only one gene.
• The largest plasmid known carries 1,674 genes.
PROPERTIES OF PLASMID
Plasmids are extra chromosomal DNA elements
Replicate independently
Contain genes that are non essential but often beneficial to the
bacterium
Plasmids size varies from 1 to over 1000 kbp.
Absence of plasmids doesn’t kill bacterium but their presence
provides additional benefits to the bacterial cells.
Certain plasmids are known to be linear -
Eg- Borrelia burgdorferi
Plasmids don’t freely float in the cell cytoplasm, instead are
membrane bound.
• Copy number : It refers to the number of copies of a plasmid present
in a cell. Larger plasmids are present in smaller numbers and small
plasmids may be found in high copy numbers.
• Compatibility : It refers to the ability of the two different plasmids to
coexist stably in the same bacterial cell.
• Incompatibility : refers to inability of two plasmids with similar
replicon or segregation system to coexist in the same cell.
PLASMID CAN INTEGRATED INTO CHROMOSOMES THROUGH 2
MECHANISMS
1. Recombination : plasmid can recombinate with chromosome when
plasmid and chromosome share common sequences(homologous
sequences)
2. Transposition : plasmid can insert itself into chromosome by
transposons and results in formation of Hfr( high frequency of
recombination).
Functions of plasmids:
Antibiotic resistance
heavy metal resistance
virulence and bacterial replication
environmental adaptability
persistence
metabolic functions that allow utilization of different nutrients are
some of the known functions coded by plasmids.
Another important feature includes plasmid-mediated
biodegradation of a variety of toxic substances such as toluene and
other organic hydrocarbons, herbicides, and pesticides.
Types of plasmids:
Conjugative plasmids : are those that are able to mobilize self transfer.
These tend to be larger because they have to accommodate genes
coding for self transfer. Conjugative plasmids in Gram-positive bacteria
tend to be smaller than those in Gram-negative bacteria.
R (resistance) plasmids: are large conjugative plasmids that carry one
or more antibiotic resistance genes. Resistance plasmid can be
conjugative or mobilizable.
Colicin plasmids: are small plasmids which encode the genes to
synthesize colicins (bacteriocines).
F (fertility) plasmids: are those that have complete gene set to
mediate self transfer by conjugation.
Cells possessing it (donor) are termed F+ and those lacking it
(recipient) are termed F-.
Degradative plasmid: decompose hydrocarbons in petroleum/oil
spills.Eg- Pseudomonas putida.
Mobilizable plasmids : are those plasmids that lack genes to initiate
self transfer but do encode the functions needed specifically for
transfer of their own DNA. The initiation function is provided by other
conjugative plasmid present in the same cell.
Suicide plasmids : are referred to those plasmids which get
transferred to another bacterial cell but does not replicate further.
These are actually mobilizable plasmids.
Naturally occurring plasmids: are wild plasmid found naturally in
bacteria. Recombinant plasmids are altered plasmids introduced
into the bacterium for genetic studies.
Cryptic plasmids : are those that serve no known functions. They
may be present for possible exclusion of plasmids that are
incompatible with the resident plasmid.
Integrative plasmids: These are plasmids that can occasionally
integrate into chromosome (previously called episomes).
Metabolic plasmids : carry some genes that help in cells
metabolism.
Virulence plasmids: carry one or several genes that confer
virulence properties on the bacterial cell.
Conjugation:
In this process, a male or donor bacterium mates or makes physical contact
with a female or recipient bacterium and transfers genetic elements into it .
This was first described by Lederberg and Edward L. Tatum (1946) in E.coli The
maleness or donor status of a cell is determined by the presence of a plasmid
which codes for specialized fimbriae (sex pilus) ,which forms on the surface of
the cells .
The plasmid DNA replicates and passes from the donor (F+ ) cell to the recipient
(F- ) cell ,probably along the sex pilus (conjugation tube ).As a result the
recipient attains donor status ,and they can conjugate with other female cells.
The plasmid responsible was termed “sex factor” or “ fertility (F) factor” ,so the
cell having F factor is called (F+ ) and another which lack “F” factor is F -
cells .Through this conjugation mechanism not only “F” factor but also col factor
and resistance transfer factor can be transformed .
The “F” factor:
• The F factor can exist in some cells in the ‘integrated state’ or inserted
in to the host chromosome. Such cells are able to transfer chromosomal
genes to recipient cells with high frequency and are known as ‘Hfr’
cells. Following conjugation with an Hfr cell, an F - cell becomes F+ .
• In some times ‘F’ factor carry some chromosomal genes from host cells,
this ‘F’ factor incorporated with host chromosomal genes are F’ prime
factor.
• So when F’ cell mates with a recipient, it transfers along with the ‘F’
factor.
• This process of transfer to host genes through the F’ factor resembles
transduction and therefore called “sexduction”.
Colicinogenic (col) factor:
• Several strains of coliform bacteria produce “colicins” which is a anti
biotic substances and are specifically and selectively lethal to other
enterobacteria .
• The similar substance is produced other then coliforms also, for
example pyocin by pseudomonas pyocyanea , diphthericin by
Corynebacterium diphtheria and are called as bacteriocin.
• This bacteriocin varies in chemical composition to each and every
strain, and it may be a protein, lipoprotein, polysaccharide complex
etc.
• This colicin production is determined by a plasmid called the ‘col
plasmid ‘or ‘col factor’, which resembles ‘F’ factor in promoting
conjugation leading to self transfer and transferring of chromosomal
segments.
Resistance transfer factor (RTF):
• This plasmid is of great medical importance, as it is responsible for the
multiple drug resistances among bacteria.
• This kind of drug resistance occur by plasmid transfer is called as
transferable or infectious drug resistance.
• Transferable drug resistance is seen widely in various pathogenic and
commensal bacteria of man and animal, Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrio
spp, Pseudomonas spp, Pasteurella spp etc.
Applications of Plasmids
1. Plasmids are used in genetic engineering to amplify, or
produce many copies of certain genes.
2. In molecular cloning, a plasmid is a type of vector.
3. Plasmids are useful in cloning short segments of DNA.
4. can be used to replicate proteins, such as the protein that
codes for insulin in large amounts.
5. plasmids are being investigated as a way to transfer genes into
human cells as part of gene therapy.
6. Inserting a plasmid into DNA would allow cells to express a
protein that they are lacking.
