What type of plasmids can integrate into the genome of a bacterium?

Episomes are a type of plasmid that can integrate into the bacterial genome. These circular DNA molecules exist independently within the cytoplasm of the bacterium but can also integrate into the host chromosome. This integration allows episomes to replicate alongside the bacterial DNA during cell division, effectively becoming a stable part of the genetic material of the bacterium.

Episomes often carry genes that can be beneficial to the host, such as antibiotic resistance genes, allowing for the transfer of advantageous characteristics between bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. The ability of episomes to incorporate into and exist within the bacterial genome is a distinguishing feature that sets them apart from other types of plasmids, enhancing their role in bacterial evolution and adaptability.