Shigella sp. MO17 RefSeq Genome. Shigella sp. MO17

Bacterial plasmids are self-replicating, extrachromosomal elements associated with a variety of phenotypic traits including virulence, enhanced fitness, and resistance to antimicrobial agents. They play an important role in the transfer of genetic material in microbial populations within and between the species. The study of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids is of particular interest because of their ecological, biological, and clinical significance. The Refseq collection of plasmids represent complete sequences derived from different bacterial strains and is organized by host organism at the species level.

细菌质粒（Bacterial plasmids）是一类可自主复制的染色体外遗传元件（extrachromosomal elements），与毒力、适应性增强及抗微生物药物耐药性等多种表型性状（phenotypic traits）密切相关。其在微生物种群内部及物种间的遗传物质转移过程中发挥着重要作用。针对质粒等可移动遗传元件（mobile genetic elements）的研究因其生态学、生物学与临床层面的重要意义而广受关注。RefSeq质粒集收录了源自不同细菌菌株的完整序列，并按照宿主物种层级进行分类整理。