Name the various cloning vectors and explain how a plasmid can be used for genetic engineering.

The various cloning vectors are:

1. Plasmids. 
2. Bacteriophages.
3. Plant vectors like Agrobacterium tumefaciens and animal vectors likeand retroviruses.
 4.Artificial chromosomes of bacteria and yeast like BACs and YACs.

Plasmid  can be used as a cloning vector in genetic engineering. Since they have the capacity to replicate autonomously (independently) and may have a high copy number , foreign DNA can be linked to it and multiple copies of the desired gene can be obtained.