As they move, plates might meet head-on, slide past one another ... their DNA differs from that found in the host cell's nucleus. In addition, these bacteria can only reproduce on their own.

Protein biosynthesis—the process whereby cells produce protein molecules, which are essential for life and growth—is a highly ...

A plasmid is a small, circular, double-stranded DNA molecule that is distinct from a cell's chromosomal DNA. Plasmids naturally exist in bacterial cells, and they also occur in some eukaryotes.