restriction nuclease
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of enzyme: A restriction nuclease is a protein that acts as a catalyst to cut DNA molecules at very specific, recognized sequences of nucleotides.
- Biological function and source: These enzymes are naturally produced by bacteria as a defense mechanism to cut and disable the DNA of invading viruses.
- Biotechnology tool: In laboratory science, restriction nucleases are essential tools for cutting DNA at precise locations, enabling gene splicing, analysis, and recombinant DNA technology.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The scientist used a restriction nuclease to cut the plasmid DNA at the target site.
- Different restriction nucleases recognize and cut different DNA sequences.
- The discovery of restriction nucleases was a breakthrough for molecular biology.
Advanced Usage
"Restriction nuclease digestion": The process of using the enzyme to cut DNA into fragments.
- The first step in cloning is restriction nuclease digestion of the DNA samples.
"Restriction nuclease site": The specific short DNA sequence recognized and cut by the enzyme.
- The gene of interest was inserted into a plasmid at a unique restriction nuclease site.
Variants and Related Words
Restriction enzyme (n): The most common synonym for restriction nuclease.
- EcoRI is a well-known restriction enzyme.
Endonuclease (n): A broader category of enzymes that cut within a DNA strand; all restriction nucleases are endonucleases.
- Unlike exonucleases, endonucleases like restriction nucleases cut internally.
Restriction fragment (n): A piece of DNA resulting from being cut by a restriction nuclease.
- The DNA was separated into restriction fragments by gel electrophoresis.
Synonyms
- Restriction enzyme: A functionally identical term more frequently used in common laboratory parlance.
- Molecular scissors: A descriptive, informal term highlighting the cutting function.
Related Phrases
"To cut with a restriction nuclease": The standard phrase describing the enzyme's primary action.
- The vector must be cut with a restriction nuclease before ligation.
"Restriction nuclease analysis": A technique for analyzing DNA patterns based on the fragments generated by these enzymes.
- Restriction nuclease analysis confirmed the identity of the bacterial strain.
Noun
- any of the enzymes that cut nucleic acid at specific restriction sites and produce restriction fragments; obtained from bacteria (where they cripple viral invaders); used in recombinant DNA technology