Definition
noun, plural: resistance factors
The earlier term used to refer to the plasmid that confers certain bacteria the ability to resist the antibacterial action of some antibiotics.
Supplement
The factor is described as resistance since it renders certain bacteria to become resistant to antimicrobial drugs. The factor was found to be a set of genes (plasmid) that can be transmitted from one bacterial cell to another through conjugation or nonconjugative means.
Abbreviation: R-factor
Also called:
- resistance plasmid
