A plasmid that is attached to the cell membrane or integrated into the bacterial chromosome is called an episome (q.v.). Plasmids are extremely valuable tools in the fields of molecular biology and genetics, specifically in the area of genetic engineering (q.v.).
A gerund is a form of a verb used as a noun, whereas a participle is a form of verb used as an adjective or as a verb in conjunction with an auxiliary verb. In English, the present participle has the same form as the gerund, and the difference is in how they are used. When used with an auxiliary verb (is walking), it serves as a verb and is the present participle. When used as an adjective (a walking contradiction) it is also a participle.
A gerund is a type of verbal that ends in -ing and is used like a noun. Examples of gerunds include actions like chewing, writing, whispering, and snoring. Similar to infinitives, gerunds can also function as the subject of the sentence, the direct object, or as the subject complement. Gerunds can also act as an object of a preposition. Let's look at some examples to better understand these four different ways to use gerunds.