Which of the following statements best describes the consequence if a bacterial cell loses its plasmid?

• A. The cell will immediately die because plasmids are essential for basic survival.
• B. The cell will be unable to replicate its chromosome.
• C. The cell may lose certain traits, such as antibiotic resistance, but can still survive.
• D. The cell will lose its cell wall and become a protoplast.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what a plasmid is: a plasmid is a small, circular piece of DNA found in bacterial cells that is separate from the chromosomal DNA and often carries genes that provide additional traits, such as antibiotic resistance.
2. Recognize that plasmids are generally not essential for the basic survival of the bacterial cell because the essential genes required for life and replication are located on the bacterial chromosome, not on the plasmid.
3. Analyze the consequences of losing a plasmid: since plasmids often carry accessory genes, losing a plasmid means the cell may lose those specific traits (e.g., antibiotic resistance), but the cell can still survive and replicate because its chromosome remains intact.
4. Eliminate incorrect options: the cell will not immediately die because plasmids are not essential for survival; it will still be able to replicate its chromosome; and losing a plasmid does not cause the cell to lose its cell wall or become a protoplast.
5. Conclude that the best description is that the cell may lose certain traits encoded by the plasmid but can continue to live and reproduce normally.