Which type of organism is commonly utilized in molecular cloning?

Bacteria are commonly utilized in molecular cloning due to several key advantages they offer in a laboratory setting. One of the primary reasons for using bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli), is their rapid growth rate, which allows for the quick replication of DNA inserted into them. This rapid growth also facilitates the selection and amplification of recombinant plasmid DNA, making it easier for researchers to obtain large quantities of the desired DNA for further experiments.

Additionally, bacteria possess well-understood genetics and are relatively easy to manipulate. Their simplicity compared to more complex organisms means that scientists can effectively introduce foreign DNA into a bacterial cell, allowing the bacteria to express proteins or replicate DNA fragments without the need for intricate cellular mechanisms found in eukaryotes. This makes bacteria an indispensable tool in biotechnology for tasks such as gene cloning, protein expression, and studying gene function.

Yeast, while also used in cloning, do not match the efficiency and speed of bacterial systems, particularly when it comes to cloning large DNA fragments. Viruses and mammalian cells are often utilized for different applications, such as gene therapy and studying mammalian cells' unique functionality, but they are not the primary organisms used for traditional molecular cloning purposes. Thus, bacteria remain the cornerstone