title: Iteron Plasmids.
abstract: Iteron-containing plasmids are model systems for studying the metabolism of extrachromosomal genetic elements in bacterial cells. Here we describe the current knowledge and understanding of the structure of iteron-containing replicons, the structure of the iteron plasmid encoded replication initiation proteins, and the molecular mechanisms for iteron plasmid DNA replication initiation. We also discuss the current understanding of control mechanisms affecting the plasmid copy number and how host chaperone proteins and proteases can affect plasmid maintenance in bacterial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konieczny
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bury
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wawrzycka
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wegrzyn
mesh_terms: D004261:DNA Replication; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial