Plastids, which are small, circular pieces of DNA that can replicate independently from host chromosomal DNA plasmid manufacturing, are the most basic form. These plasmids are found mainly in bacteria but can also be found naturally in archaea, eukaryotes and plants. The host may benefit from plasmids in the form of resistance to antibiotics, degradation functions and/or virulence. Natural plasmids have an origin of replication, which controls the host range as well as the copy number. They also typically contain a gene that is beneficial for survival, such as an antibiotic resistance gene.
However, plasmids used in the laboratory are artificial and can introduce foreign DNA to another cell. Lab-created plasmids are minimally able to identify the origin of replication, selection marker and cloning sites. They are attractive tools for bioengineers and life scientists because of their ease of modification.
How Does A Plasmid Get Created In The Laboratory?
Because of their artificial nature, lab plasmids are often called “vectors” and “constructs.” Scientists can use a variety of methods to insert a gene into a vector. These include restriction enzymes, ligation independent (Gateway, Gibson), etc. The plasmid that you wish to clone is the final determinant of which cloning method you choose. Once the cloning steps have been completed, the vector containing your newly inserted gene can be transformed into bacteria cells and grown on antibiotic plates.
Scientists can make large quantities of plasmids to manipulate later. This is because bacteria from which plasmids have been isolated grow quickly and makes more of them as they grow.
What are scientists’ methods of using plasmids in science?
Scientists have long used plasmids to alter gene expression in targeted cells. By inserting plasmids into cells, scientists can target specific genes and change the way they are expressed. This technique has been used to study a wide variety of genes and their role in cell function. Plasmids can also be used to deliver genes to cells that do not naturally express them. This can be used to introduce new genes into a cell or to change the expression of existing genes.
Molecular biologists can use plasmids in a variety of applications due to their flexibility, versatility and safety. Common plasmid types are expression plasmids and cloning, cloning, cloning, recombinant plasmids as well as reporter plasmids and viral plasmids.
One of the many things plasmids can do is:
Large amounts of protein can be produced so scientists can study it in controlled conditions. This is a valuable tool for researchers who want to learn more about the function of a particular protein.
Plasmids 101: Protein Tags
Make proteins that glow, so scientists can track where they are and how many they have in a cell.
Plasmids 101: Green Fluorescent Prot (GFP).
Plasmids 101: Luciferase
Monitoring the concentration of chemicals in an environment
You can create synthetic viruses for research and therapeutic purposes.
Genscript Probio has created a variety of educational resources that will help you use plasmids in your lab. Genscript Probio’s Molecular Biology Reference contains information on molecular cloning and how to choose a plasmid gene viral vector production. It also includes molecular biology tools, references, and how you can maintain your plasmid stock. This guide includes numerous protocols and troubleshooting tips that will make plasmid use as easy and as straightforward as possible.