Free Ribosome
All Cells (80S eukaryotic; 70S prokaryotic)
A floating particle of RNA and protein that reads genetic messages and assembles the cell's proteins.
Back to Boutique
Rp 2.400.000
Rp 3.600.000
Prokaryotic Cells
Plasmid
The accessory genome.
A small circular DNA extra — the bonus traits a prokaryote can share or shed.
Rp 900.000
A note
The campaign imagery is a fictional luxury concept. Toggle to Scientific X-Ray for the labelled biological illustration.
Structure
Small, usually circular, double-stranded DNA molecule located outside the main bacterial chromosome. Plasmids are not enclosed by a membrane and contain their own origins of replication, allowing them to replicate independently of chromosomal DNA. They typically carry a relatively small number of genes.
Function
Carries additional genetic information that may provide advantageous characteristics, such as antibiotic resistance or the ability to metabolise particular substances. Some plasmids can be transferred between bacterial cells through processes such as conjugation.
Where Found
Many bacterial species, some archaea and certain eukaryotic organisms, such as yeast.
Why It Matters
Plasmids can provide additional genetic characteristics that improve bacterial survival under particular environmental conditions. Their transfer between cells contributes to horizontal gene transfer and genetic variation within bacterial populations.
Structure → Function
It has its own replication origin so it can be copied separately from chromosome using cellular machinery. Some plasmids can also move between cells.
Pairings
Rp 1.900.000
Microtubule
Plant & Animal Cells
A hollow tube of tubulin — a structural track for transport and the scaffold of movement.
Centriole
Animal Cells (absent in most higher plants)
A precise cylinder of microtubule triplets — the organiser of the cell's internal geometry.