What is a Plasmid? - Plasmids 101

Plasmids. Any life scientist working in a lab has surely heard about them. But what is a plasmid? Where are they found? And why are they so useful to scientists? Find out, in this animation!
blog.addgene.org/plasmids-101...
Our Plasmids 101 videos are designed to educate all levels of scientists and plasmid lovers. For more, blog.addgene.org/topic/plasmi...
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Credits
Written, Directed & Animated by: Quintin Marcelino
Based on Previous Material by: Will Arnold and Margo R. Monroe & Marcy Patrick
Designs and Illustrations by: Jason Snair
Narration by: Matt Ellis
Sound Design & Sound Editing by: Quintin Marcelino
Special Thanks to: Jennifer Tsang, Angela Abitua, Aliyah Weinstein, and everyone at Addgene who provided support and feedback on this project.
Music by: Wayne Jones, Vibe Mountain, and the Grand Affair, courtesy of KZbin Audio Library
www.addgene.org

[@addgene]

Addgene does not regularly monitor comments posted here, so we may not see your question immediately. We’d be happy to answer any questions sent to [e-mail] as soon as possible. Please include the name of the video along with any questions so our support team can help. Thanks!

[@aronkay5274]

Great Video, very helpful and informative. Keep up the great work! :)

[@anwarabbas4289]

loved this explanation, thank you so much.

[@jsirius3783]

Thank you, very informative! Keep up the great work.

[@drdharmi2853]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3eYc5Rvl9eGapo

[@ArsiekDHOL]

thanks for this beautiful well explained video !!!

[@anhmai9859]

Thanks a lot! Such an awesome clip for me.

[@carljangalve5816]

wow! this has been amazing! thank you so much for this informative video!

[@Mark-co1qw]

Thank you, this was very helpful!

[@Badgerbahalwan]

Thank you. This is so freakin cool! Magnificent video

[@drdharmi2853]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3eYc5Rvl9eGapo

[@dami5072]

Such a detailed and engaging explanation without the right amount of information. Thank you!!

[@dextrannanoparticle8754]

Thank you for the exhaustive explanation

[@nadiarai7603]

Very helpful video. THANK YOU

[@user-vw4wz8vk3e]

So useful and informative, Thank you so much..

[@zuhabilal3309]

Aside from the background music, great video!

[@4489005]

Amazing stuff.

[@markh1652]

thanks for sharing!

[@swayampunde2311]

Thank you, very informative 🤍

[@zethayn]

Thank you, helped so much!

[@michellegriffin-wenzel259]

This a a great video to help my students in PLTW-Environmental Sustainability.

[@Andrew-A]

Thx. Nice explanation

[@lalady6611]

thank you so much i understand it immediately!! new subscriber here!!

[@zengjoe4668]

Wonderful video ❤

[@verapamil07]

Thank you, very informative!

[@drdharmi2853]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3eYc5Rvl9eGapo

[@CM-ef8fu]

Very well done, thank you !

[@drdharmi2853]

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[@Murmur1131]

Sweet tune dude

[@kotreshig8533]

Thank you... It was very interesting

[@user-wp8lb4gs5e]

Thank you ❤️

[@pistol0grip0pump]

Very informative, attention-retaining video! I really enjoyed it, and subscribed! =) Also, curious about the topic of plasmids, how do they enable me to fire lightning from my hands? Or instantly create a swarm of angry bees in defense of an enemy attacker? 🤔

[@rm.a3900]

Thank you ,

[@ALLGAMEZONEanchal]

❤❤ i really enjoyed and understand it 😊😊😊

[@iraqi3612]

Thank you very much doctor

[@ALLGAMEZONEanchal]

Thank you 😊💕 so much 🥰🥰

[@lawkk4798]

Well done

[@smpnegerisanen]

Thanks. Very informative

[@drdharmi2853]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3eYc5Rvl9eGapo

[@manaljarrar]

Great👍

[@hiya6865]

Please keep going!

[@jhonsonzacaria3035]

Thant you very imformative

[@abhalichade]

Thank you.

[@hammedtukur]

Thanks

[@jishnuviswakumar5416]

Thanks 🙌

[@fouadsaade7134]

You just saved my life man thanks

[@Justin-dv7ul]

thank you, very great and easy to understand, great introduction

[@drdharmi2853]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3eYc5Rvl9eGapo

[@Tepmodify]

Best video.

[@deepansheeverma1942]

Wow want more vedio like this ❤️

[@addgene]

Thanks! If you'd like to see more like this, check out our Plasmids 101 video on the Origin of Replication: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn-XeatnZraJiZY We're also working on some new animated Plasmids 101 videos we hope to release later this summer!

[@josephmueller335]

Imagine if they created plasmids from bioshock

[@AC7_7]

Was looking for this one lol

[@BerriBerriJam]

For eukaryotic cells (cells with nucleus) does the plasmid need to get into the nucleus in order to go through the transcription phase? Or can it function in the cytoplasm outside of the nucleus?

[@eve2720]

It is independant from the nucleus transcription. It happens in the cytoplasm, on a complete different cycle.

[@BerriBerriJam]

@@eve2720 ​ @Eve wow, that's significant. I'm following a company called Inovio for a covid9 vaccine in DNA plasmid format. Some biologists I've talked to say DNA plasmid still needs to get into the nucleus to undergo transcription because the environment in the nucleus is more conducive to transcription perhaps having a higher concentration of nucleotides. I've been researching for days and haven't found any definitive text saying one way or the other.

[@addgene]

For the plasmid to be transcribed, it will need to enter the nucleus. The following publication may be helpful: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15908994/

[@sartikadvm3073]

Wonderful video. What kind of bacteria that have plasmid?

[@addgene]

Thanks for the question! Plasmids naturally exist in most bacteria. For example, plasmids have been found in Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Bacillus. You can check out this post for some more information: blog.addgene.org/plasmids-101-environmental-plasmids

[@dorfinhorg9458]

Bioengineering is so fucking badass

[@cephalopods_are_cool]

If added to a human and edited properly could you edit someone’s genes to shoot lighting (asking for my buddy ADAM)

[@AC7_7]

I’d take fire too

[@Kablam343]

I need telekinesis breh

[@fateblue77]

cool :)

[@mtommarveloriddle4080]

Thank youuu

[@rm.a3900]

اختصار رائع

[@dylanpatel7912]

Plasmids are used in labs cause they are easy to make and allow scientist to make genes more expressed

[@NiceGuyEddy12]

Can I grow and shoot wasps out of my arms with these plasmids? :P

[@andrejrockshox]

nice one. bioshock.

[@fateblue77]

informative -_-

[@phuocvinhlamtrinh8633]

good

[@MadMedicine-xx2xi]

Grateful

[@FitSam_SANGUEDIGHISA]

Bioshock studying academy here

[@tariqahmed7893]

How

[@user-jb4vs7vr1v]

Made an inside joke about it when i clicked this vid, happy i'm not alone

[@gnomewarlord7128]

It’s 4 am and I’m learning how to give myself powers💀

[@Kablam343]

@@gnomewarlord71283am motivation, 4am superpowers

[@akritisingh5342]

Waoo 👍

[@boop9192]

What does 'cytoplasmic factors' mean? is it particles in the cytoplasm?

[@addgene]

Yep, in this context, “cytoplasmic factors” just refers to things in the cytoplasm!

[@bobbob9364]

So clever

[@bobbob9364]

Yes bob I am thanks for that xx

[@ash01333]

@@bobbob9364 why did you respond to yourself weirdo

[@guruprasathvenkatesan806]

What is the function of selectable marker

[@addgene]

Selectable markers allow for other ways of selection other than antibiotics. Check out some examples of selectable markers in this blog post: blog.addgene.org/plasmids-101-positive-and-negative-selection-for-plasmid-cloning

[@koushikroy417]

Sir please explain the Conjugation part in next video🥺

[@addgene]

Thanks for your suggestion! In the meantime, there's some information on conjugation on our blog you may find helpful: blog.addgene.org/plasmids-101-transformation-transduction-bacterial-conjugation-and-transfection

[@amrutanshusahoo6575]

This is nice. Can bacteria of same species transfer Plasmid?

[@drdharmi2853]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3eYc5Rvl9eGapo

[@HEHE-jp9be]

what is the selectable marker?

[@addgene]

Thanks for your question. The selectable marker is usually a gene that helps researchers select for plasmid-containing cells in other cell types than bacteria. For more details, feel free to refer to the accompanying blog post on What is a Plasmid blog.addgene.org/plasmids-101-what-is-a-plasmid

[@HEHE-jp9be]

Thank youuuu! Godbless

[@andyboi8399]

In the end, what spearates a man from a slave? Like if you get the referance

[@SethEssington]

Bioshock. Great game!

[@andyboi8399]

@@SethEssington Ah yes a man of quallity

[@indigo57]

Is plasmid taken from blood fractions?

[@ridahussain872]

👍👍👍

[@wabuhwabuh8674]

can u insert more than one plasmid in a bacteria?

[@festekiz]

👏👏

[@GowthamiGidijala]

Super super super super super super super super ❤

[@youngwolf2258]

Thanks man.....

[@cindrmon]

why does this feel like plasmids as the biological arduino board?

[@moon-sc8qt]

Do all bacteria have plasmid dna?

[@ruslingmcgehan7137]

No doubt these plasmids can be used for good or bad reasons

[@bobbob9364]

What did the lonely cytoplasm say “ it’s in it cell”. ( Scottish for self)

[@bobbob9364]

Oh bob you r so funny 😆,

[@samuraijosh1595]

@@bobbob9364 no, he's not.

[@Sowmiharsha]

Is backbone and physical map is the same......

[@addgene]

Thanks for your question. The full (circular) plasmid map will show the insert (the gene of interest) and the backbone (the rest of the plasmid which includes a promoter, origin of replication, and resistance marker, etc). Please see our Molecular Biology Reference for more information: www.addgene.org/mol-bio-reference/ There is also this blog post for a little more context on backbones: blog.addgene.org/choosing-your-perfect-empty-backbone

[@tangpiseth8416]

So plasmid are just pieces of DNA?, they aren't the whole DNA?, I'm unsure because my book says so...

[@benneven9316]

Plasmids are different from the chromosome. They are extra DNA molecules that micro-organisms can possess in addition to their chromosome and that may give them useful abilities such as antibiotic resistance. By themselves they are complete DNA molecules, but they are non-essential. A micro-organism can live without plasmids, but not without its chromosome.

[@happyyyyyyyyyy3822]

@@benneven9316 thanks nice explanation

[@dharmpalrar7002]

Sir bol kya rhe ho vo snj nhi aa rha thodi voice clear kro plzzzzzzzzz

[@ilovecomputers]

Ah good, now I know what the building blocks for the mRNA vaccine production are.

[@sleepyboi5709]

BioShock took this concept and gave it steroids

[@MrChungtefan]

plasmid 質體

[@prnklinfierc]

Comments sound like bots damn

[@3cela]

Is plasmid found in all bacteria?

[@balasurya9265]

Anyone from VMKV engineering clg

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अंग्रेज चले गए भारत छोड़कर क्या तुम्हें नहीं ले कर गए जो अंग्रेजी बोल रहे हो। अगर इस बार मेरे पास वीडियो आई तो उल्टे सीधे शब्द लिख लूंगा कमेंट पर

[@jimelef]

Thanks

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[@venkatmadhavan5117]

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