Plasmids naturally exist in bacterial cells, and they also occur in some eukaryotes. Often, the genes carried in plasmids provide bacteria with genetic advantages, such as antibiotic resistance.

Bacteria have multiple defence mechanisms they can use to build resistance to antibiotics, one of the major problems facing public health globally. One of these mechanisms involves plasmids ...

However, the mechanics behind this process are not well understood. During the process, known as “conjugation,” one bacterial cell connects directly to another through a tiny tube that allows the ...

Bacterial genetics is the study of the mechanisms of heritable information in bacteria, their chromosomes, plasmids, transposons and phages. Techniques that have enabled this discipline are ...

One of the most important medical advancements in the 20 th century was the discovery of antibiotics. The first antibiotic was introduced in 1910 and radically changed modern medicine, according to ...

Bacteria have multiple defence mechanisms they can use to build resistance to antibiotics, one of the major problems facing public health globally. One of these mechanisms involves plasmids, small DNA ...