The family of highly interrelated single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid plasmids

Many plasmids from gram-positive bacteria replicate via a single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) intermediate, most probably by a rolling-circle mechanism (these plasmids are referred to in this paper as ssDNA plasmids). Their plus and minus origins are physically separated, and replicative initiations are not simultaneous; it is this feature that allows visualization of ssDNA replication intermediates. The insertion of foreign DNA into an ssDNA plasmid may provoke a high frequency of deletions, changes of replicative products to high-molecular-weight forms, segregational loss, and decreased plasmid copy numbers. When an ssDNA plasmid is inserted into the chromosome, both deletions and amplifications may be induced. Both the mode of replication and the copy control mechanism affect the fate of inserted foreign material, usually selecting for its loss. Thus, after having tasted various morsels of DNA, the resulting plasmid stays trim. The features of the ssDNA plasmids seem to be beneficial for their viability and propagation, but not for their use as cloning vectors. However, plasmids replicating via ssDNA intermediates are being exploited to yield insights into the mechanisms of recombination and amplification.