Plasmids from bacilli related to BAcillus subtilis]

The basic structural and functional properties of natural bacilli plasmids are analyzed in this review. Bacilli plasmids are mostly cryptic, but some are found to have selective markers. Small plasmids replicate by rolling-circle mechanism, however, the replication of large plasmids is likely to occur by the theta-mechanism. Plasmid structures involved in replication are analyzed. The bacilli plasmids are stable. They are promising material for vector construction.