plasmid stability

Plasmid stability refers to a cell's ability to maintain and preserve its plasmids—small, circular pieces of DNA separate from the main genetic material—over generations. Stable plasmids are efficiently copied during cell division, ensuring that each new cell inherits them. This stability depends on factors like the plasmid’s genetic features, the host cell's mechanisms, and environmental conditions. When plasmids are stable, they persist within the population, allowing bacteria or cells to continually carry the genetic instructions they contain, which is vital for applications like genetic engineering and antibiotic resistance studies.