Difference between revisions of "Help:Plasmid backbones/Glossary"

Here at the Registry, we use the term "plasmid" in three different ways:

• "Plasmid (backbone)" - the vector alone, WITHOUT Biobrick(s)
• "Construction Plasmid" - Plasmid backbones WITH specialized Biobricks to help you with assembly
• "Plasmid (with any Biobrick)" - Plasmid backbone WITH some Biobrick(s).

Plasmid (backbone)

BioBrick plasmids form the "backbone" of all BioBrick parts. Every BioBrick part is maintained on at least one BioBrick plasmid. Sometimes, a part is maintained on multiple BioBrick plasmids backbones, which vary by antibiotic resistance and copy number.

• An example of a BioBrick plasmid without a part insert is pSB1A3. You can find more on plasmid naming here
• To find a plasmid part using the "jump to part" sidebar function, erase the default "BBa_" prefix, and enter only the plasmid part name (e.g., psBxyz).

Construction Plasmid

If you just want one of the BioBrick plasmids, it is probably available in the iGEM DNA distribution with the part BBa_P1010 in the cloning site. You will need the cell strain DB3.1 since BBa_P1010 (CcdB) is toxic to most strains.

When making a brand new BioBrick part, you will need to choose an appropriate BioBrick plasmid (with the right antibiotic selection gene, genome size, etc) for your construction purposes. For this reason, we've made the ccdB gene biobrick ( BBa_P1010 ), which causes cell death when intact. By doing so, the successful insertion of the part disrupts the ccdB gene and permits growth. Plasmids that were not cut, or re-ligated without insert do not grow.

• For a more in-depth walkthrough of how to use construction plasmids, check the FAQs or "Cell Death" Featured Parts section

Plasmid (with any biobrick)

This term refers to a plasmid backbone with singular or multiple BioBricks inserted. An example of this can be seen to the left, where biobricks BBa_B0034, BBa_C0010 & BBa_B0015 have been inserted on a Amp-resistant plasmid.

Back to 'Plasmids' Overview |Browse plasmid parts