Explore the remarkable discoveries in the rapidly expanding field of plasmid biology Plasmids are integral to biological research as models for innumerable mechanisms of living cells, as tools for creating the most diverse therapies, and as crucial helpers for understanding the dissemination of microbial populations. Their role in virulence and antibiotic resistance, together with the generalization of "e;omics"e; disciplines, has recently ignited a new wave of interest in plasmids. This comprehensive book contains a series of expertly written chapters focused on plasmid biology, mechanistic details of plasmid function, and the increased utilization of plasmids in biotechnology and pharmacology that has occurred in the past decade. Plasmids: Biology and Impact in Biotechnology and Discovery serves as an invaluable reference for researchers in the wide range of fields and disciplines that utilize plasmids and can also be used as a textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in biotechnology and molecular biology.

Explore the remarkable discoveries in the rapidly expanding field of plasmid biologyPlasmids are integral to biological research as models for innumerable mechanisms of living cells, as tools for creating the most diverse therapies, and as crucial helpers for understanding the dissemination of microbial populations. Their role in virulence and antibiotic resistance, together with the generalization of "omics" disciplines, has recently ignited a new wave of interest in plasmids.This comprehensive book contains a series of expertly written chapters focused on plasmid biology, mechanistic details of plasmid function, and the increased utilization of plasmids in biotechnology and pharmacology that has occurred in the past decade.Plasmids: Biology and Impact in Biotechnology and Discovery serves as an invaluable reference for researchers in the wide range of fields and disciplines that utilize plasmids and can also be used as a textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in biotechnology and molecular biology.

ContributorsPrefaceI. Introduction1. Historical Events That Spawned the Field of Plasmid BiologyII. Plasmid Replication Systems and Their Control2. Iteron Plasmids3. Mechanisms of Theta Plasmid Replication4. Plasmid Rolling-Circle Replication5. Replication and Maintenance of Linear Phage-Plasmid N156. Plasmid Replication Control by Antisense RNAs7. Topological Behavior of Plasmid DNAIII. Plasmid Maintenance, Transfer and Barriers8. Plasmid Partition Mechanisms9. Resolution of Multimeric Forms of Circular Plasmids and Chromosomes10. Conditional Activation of Toxin-Antitoxin Systems: Postsegregational Killing and Beyond11. The Interplay between Different Stability Systems Contributes to Faithful Segregation: Streptococcus pyogenes pSM19035 as a Model12. The CRISPR-Cas Immune System and Genetic Transfers: Reaching an Equilibrium13. Plasmid Diversity and Adaptation Analyzed by Massive Sequencing of Escherichia coli Plasmids14. Conjugation in Gram-Positive Bacteria15. Mobilizable Rolling-Circle Replicating Plasmids from Gram-Positive Bacteria: A Low-Cost Conjugative TransferIV. Specific Plasmid Systems16. The Plasmid Mobilome of the Model Plant Symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti: Coming up with New Questions and Answers17. The Agrobacterium Ti Plasmids18. The Influence of Biofilms in the Biology of Plasmids19. The Partitioning and Copy Number Control Systems of the Selfish Yeast Plasmid: An Optimized Molecular Design for Stable Persistence in Host Cells20. Plasmids from EuryarchaeotaV. Plasmid Ecology and Evolution21. The Plasmidome of Firmicutes: Impact on the Emergence and the Spread of Resistance to Antimicrobials22. Plasmid-Mediated Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococci and Other Firmicutes23. Plasmid Detection, Characterization, and Ecology24. Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence in Gram-Negatives: The Klebsiella pneumoniae Paradigm25. Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone ResistanceVI. Specialized Functions Mediated By Plasmids26. Plasmid-Mediated Tolerance Toward Environmental Pollutants27. Virulence Plasmids of Spore-Forming Bacteria28. Virulence Plasmids of Nonsporulating Gram-Positive Pathogens29. Plasmid-Encoded Iron Uptake SystemsVII. Plasmids as Genetic Tools30. DNA Assembly Tools and Strategies for the Generation of Plasmids31. Plasmids as Tools for Containment32. Mining Environmental Plasmids for Synthetic Biology Parts and Devices33. Using Plasmids as DNA Vaccines for Infectious Diseases34. Plasmid BiopharmaceuticalsIndex