A biological vector is a living thing that carries the disease-causing agent or causative organism from reservoirs to the host. It could also be a reproductive agent that disperses reproductive components, such as a bee that acts as a pollen carrier for transferring pollen to a flower’s stigma.

In molecular biology, a vector transfers genetic material such as a plasmid, which transfers DNA sequences from the donor to the recipient target cell. Examples of molecular vectors include binary, shuttle, cloning, expression, and viral vectors.

In biology, there are different types of vectors, divided into the following subsets:

• Immunology vectors: An organism that spreads infectious disorders from one organism to another is referred to as a disease vector. Arthropod and rodent vectors are the two main types of disease vectors.
• Molecular biology vectors: A micro and molecular biology vector is a mode of transportation or agent transmitting genetic components into a cell or an organism. There are four main categories of molecular vectors: Cloning, viral, expression, and shuttle vectors.
• Pollination vectors: These are biological vectors that transport the reproductive configuration of one plant to another for pollination to take place. These vectors may be abiotic or biotic.

Related Links:

• Cloning Vector – Definition, Features and Types
• Vector Borne Diseases

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