BharatNotes Plasmid
noun (countable)Usage in a UPSC answer
The horizontal transfer of plasmids carrying carbapenem-resistance genes among Klebsiella pneumoniae strains in Indian tertiary-care hospitals has created clinical scenarios where patients are infected with bacteria resistant to virtually all available antibiotics.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
plasmid vector (noun phrase), plasmidic (adjective, rare), megaplasmid (noun), minicircle (partial synonym)
Root
Greek plasma = something moulded or formed (from plassein = to mould) + -id (small entity suffix)
Etymology
The term was coined by American molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg in 1952 from Greek plasma (something moulded, from plassein = to mould or shape) with the diminutive suffix -id, denoting a small entity. Lederberg used the term to describe any extrachromosomal genetic element, though its usage has since narrowed to circular extrachromosomal DNA in bacteria. Lederberg shared the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries in bacterial genetics.
Memory Hook
A plasmid is a 'mini moulded thing' (plasma = moulded + -id = small) — imagine a tiny circular ring of DNA that bacteria carry around like a spare tool belt. While the chromosome is the main blueprint, the plasmid is the small, handy extra toolkit bacteria can share with each other.
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