Nucleases

Nucleases (pronounced: noo-klee-ay-sis) are a type of enzyme that is responsible for the degradation of nucleic acids. Nucleases can be further divided into two main categories: endonucleases and exonucleases, depending on where they act on the nucleic acid chain.

Etymology

The term "nuclease" is derived from "nucleic acid" and the suffix "-ase", which is used to denote enzymes. The term "nucleic acid" was first used in the late 19th century to describe substances found in the nucleus of cells, while "-ase" is derived from "diastase", the first enzyme to be discovered.

Function

Nucleases play a crucial role in many biological processes, including DNA repair, recombination, and apoptosis. They are also involved in the immune response, where they help to degrade foreign DNA and RNA.

Types of Nucleases

There are two main types of nucleases: endonucleases and exonucleases. Endonucleases cleave the phosphodiester bonds within a nucleic acid chain, while exonucleases remove nucleotides from the ends of these chains.

Endonucleases

Endonucleases (pronounced: en-doh-noo-klee-ay-sis) are enzymes that cleave the phosphodiester bonds within a nucleic acid chain. They are essential for many biological processes, including DNA repair and recombination.

Exonucleases

Exonucleases (pronounced: ex-oh-noo-klee-ay-sis) are enzymes that remove nucleotides from the ends of a nucleic acid chain. They are involved in processes such as DNA repair and the degradation of foreign DNA and RNA.

Related Terms

• Enzyme
• Nucleic Acids
• DNA Repair
• Recombination
• Apoptosis
• Immune Response

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Nucleases
• Wikipedia's article - Nucleases

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