Dictionary > Nuclease

Nuclease

Definition
noun, plural: nucleases
An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nucleic acids to oligonucleotides or mononucleotides
Supplement
Different enzymes are used for manipulating DNA. One of them is a group of enzymes that promotes the hydrolysis of nucleic acids, such as DNA; others are DNA polymerases, kinases, alkaline phosphatases, and topoisomerases.
Nucleases are enzymes that are capable of catalyzing hydrolysis of nucleic acids by cleaving the phosphodiester bonds between nucleotide subunits of nucleic acids.
There are two major types of nucleases: (1) exonucleases and (2) endonucleases. Exonucleases are capable of removing nucleotides one at a time from a DNA molecule whereas endonucleases work by cleaving the phosphodiester bonds within DNA molecule.1 Examples of nucleases are Bal 31, which is a double-stranded exonuclease commonly used for producing deletion sets, exonuclease I and exonuclease III for 3′-5′ exonuclease activity, Dnase I, which is an endonuclease used for splitting single-stranded and double-stranded DNA molecules, and nuclease S1 capable of degrading both single-stranded DNA and RNA molecules. (There are however certain nucleases that act as both an endonuclease and an exonuclease.)
See also:

  • depolymerase
  • exonuclease
  • hydrolase
  • mapping
  • nucleate endonuclease
  • rec b protein

Related term(s):

  • mung bean nuclease
  • repair nuclease
  • s1 nuclease mapping
  • serratia marcescens nuclease
  • uridine-specific acid nuclease
  • viral alkaline nuclease
  • Reference(s):

    1“Week 4: Enzymes for manipulating DNA”. web.pdx.edu/~justc/courses/RecombDNA/Week4.ppt link


    You will also like...

    3D rendering of an antibody
    Passive and Active Types of Immunity

    Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell capable of producing a specific immune response to unique antigens. In thi..

    Disturbance on a still water
    Abiotic Factors – Water Conditions

    A still body of water may be disturbed by a variety of factors. One of them is wind. In fact, it is considered as the pr..

    The Human Physiology
    The Human Physiology

    Physiology is the study of how living organisms function. Thus, human physiology deals specifically with the physiologic..

    Physical growth
    Physical Development in Humans

    This tutorial elaborates on the physical development of humans, particularly from puberty to adulthood. Read this tutori..

    Golgi apparatus (3-D illustration)
    Role of Golgi Apparatus & Endoplasmic Reticulum in Protein Synthesis

    The endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus are the organelles involved in the translation step of protein synthesis a..

    Peppered moth ("Biston betularia") melanic and light form
    Examples of Natural Selection

    Darwin's Finches are an example of natural selection in action. They are an excellent example of the way species' gene p..

    Related Articles...

    No related articles found

    See all Related Topics