What benefits do plasmids offer to bacteria?

We're working on a recombinant DNA project. How do plasmids benefit bacterias??

What benefits do plasmids offer to bacteria?
It lets bacteria have hot sex...well, not exactly. It's possible the plasmid gives the bacteria a sort of genetic boost, perhaps because they can transfer locally adapted genes to new strains bearing evolutionary novelties.
Reply:There are five main classes:





Fertility-(F)plasmids, which contain tra-genes. They are capable of conjugation.


Resistance-(R)plasmids, which contain genes that can build a resistance against antibiotics or poisons. Historically known as R-factors, before the nature of plasmids was understood.


Col-plasmids, which contain genes that code for (determine the production of) colicines, proteins that can kill other bacteria.


Degrative plasmids, which enable the digestion of unusual substances, e.g., toluene or salicylic acid.


Virulence plasmids, which turn the bacterium into a pathogen.
Reply:well, plasmids, being extra pieces of cellular DNA, benefit bacteria by adding DNA diversity. they are able to provide the bacteria with extra genes, that can be useful for their metabolism. for example, some plasmids carry a resistance gene (to antibiotic) that benefit the bacteria by helping it fight such environmental factors that would be otherwise harmful for the bacteria. it also helps the bacteria to vary among their own species and thus, provides a platform for evolution.





if you would like a more detailed answer, you could try microbiology text books. sorry, this is what I know.





hope it helps
Reply:some affer antibiotic resistance ..some against metallic ions...some againsttranmission of fertility factor.. some in digesting foreign particle
Reply:So many good things!


- antibiotic resistance


- virulence factors


- mobile genetic elements (for transfer of DNA/genes)


- lysogenic immunity to bacteriophages (though, mostly in chromosomal DNA)


- many more! just pump in some naked DNA and see what happens ;) most beneficial plasmids are kept and passed on to vertically to future generations of bacteria so most plasmids will offer positive effects to the host cells.