| Properties | Plasmid | Virus | Remarks |
| Replication | Autonomous, requires host enzyme | Autonomous, requires host enzyme | |
| Relationship with host | More symbiotic than parasitic | Mostly parasitic (can also be symbiotic in some cases) | |
| Mobilization | Mobilization without any protein coat | Released from the host as proteinaceous structure of nucleic acid | |
| Nucleic acid | DNA | Both DNA and RNA |
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