R PLASMIDS Meaning and
Definition
-
R plasmids are self-replicating, circular DNA molecules found in bacteria that carry genes responsible for antibiotic resistance. They are small, mobile genetic elements that can be transferred from one bacterial cell to another through horizontal gene transfer mechanisms such as conjugation, transduction, and transformation.
These plasmids play a significant role in the spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria, posing a major concern for public health. They often carry multiple genes that confer resistance to several classes of antibiotics, making them highly versatile and capable of spreading resistance to a wide range of drugs. The genes encoded by R plasmids provide bacteria with various mechanisms to overcome the detrimental effects of antibiotics. For example, they may produce enzymes that destroy or modify antibiotics, prevent the entry of drugs into the bacterium, or actively pump out drugs that have entered the cell.
The transfer of R plasmids occurs when a donor bacterium containing the plasmid transfers it to a recipient bacterium, thus conferring antibiotic resistance to the recipient. This transfer can occur within the same bacterial species (intraspecies transfer) or across different species (interspecies transfer), contributing to the rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes. R plasmids can persist in bacterial populations even when there is no antibiotic selection pressure, as they can be stably maintained during cell division. This ability to persist and spread contributes to the evolutionary success of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Common Misspellings for R PLASMIDS
- e plasmids
- d plasmids
- f plasmids
- t plasmids
- 5 plasmids
- 4 plasmids
- r olasmids
- r llasmids
- r -lasmids
- r 0lasmids
- r pkasmids
- r ppasmids
- r poasmids
- r plzsmids
- r plssmids
- r plwsmids
- r plqsmids
- r plaamids
- r plazmids
- r plaxmids
Etymology of R PLASMIDS
The word "R plasmids" is derived from "resistance plasmids".
The term "plasmid" comes from the Greek word "plasma", meaning "something formed or molded". It was first used in the 1950s to describe extrachromosomal genetic elements found in bacterial cells. Plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules that exist outside the main chromosomal DNA in bacteria and some other organisms.
The letter "R" in "R plasmids" stands for "resistance". R plasmids are a type of plasmid that carry genes responsible for antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The term "R factor" was first coined by Joshua Lederberg in 1952 when he discovered an antibiotic resistance gene in Shigella bacteria. The "R" referred to the resistance to the antibiotic that the gene conferred.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
