Question

Discuss process of DNA replication in plasmid.

Answer 1

In addition to bacterial chromosome (nucleoid), bacterial cells normally contain genetic elements in their cytoplasm. These genetic elements exist and replicate separately from the chromosome and are called plasmids. The very existence of plasmids in bacterial cytoplasm was revealed by Lederberg in 1952 while working on conjugation process in bacteria.

Lederberg coined the term ‘plasmid’ to refer to the transmissible genetic elements that were transferred from one bacterial cell to another and determined the maleness in bacteria.