plasmid

== English == === Etymology === From plasma +‎ -id, coined by American molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg in 1952. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈplæzmɪd/ === Noun === plasmid (plural plasmids) (cytology) A loop of double-stranded DNA that is separate from — and replicates independently of — the chromosomes; such loops are most commonly found in bacteria, but they are also sometimes found in archaeans and eukaryotic cells, and they are used in genetic engineering as a vector for gene transfer. Coordinate terms: episome, chromosome ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ====