Plasmid vectorsGeneral propertiesBroad-host-range vectors like the lactococcal plasmid pGK12, which has been shown to replicate in a variety of bacterial strains (Kok et al. 1984), can also replicate in different Lactobacillus species (Bringel et al. 1989; Posno et al. 1991a). These vectors have been instrumental in the development of genetransfer systems for Lactobacillus, at the time that vect..