Complete plasmid sequences derived from various strains of Sulfolobus islandicus. Saccharolobus islandicus

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（plasmid）是一类可自我复制的染色体外遗传元件，能够赋予宿主多种表型性状，包括致病性、进化适合度提升以及抗微生物药物耐药性。其在微生物种群内部及跨物种的遗传物质转移过程中发挥关键作用。由于移动遗传元件（mobile genetic element）兼具重要的生态学、生物学与临床价值，对包括质粒在内的这类元件的研究备受学界关注。质粒参考序列（RefSeq）数据集收录了源自不同细菌菌株的完整序列，并按照宿主物种进行分类整理。