Which of the following is the function of restriction endonucleases in bacteria?
A) degradation of foreign DNA
B) enhancement of transcription
C) participation in DNA repair
D) participation in synthesis of lagging strand DNA
E) stimulation of recombination

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Restriction endonucleases in bacteria function to degrade foreign DNA, such as that from invading viruses, by cutting it at specific sequences.  Restriction endonucleases are enzymes that will recognize, bind to, and hydrolyze specific nucleic acid sequences in double-stranded DNA. The term restriction endonuclease was given to this class of bacterially derived enzymes since they were identified as being involved in restricting the growth of certain bacteriophages. Bacteria are capable of modifying specific sequences within their genomes by methylation, which prevents their own DNA from being recognized by the restriction enzymes encoded by their genomes. This process is termed modification and restriction.

Which of the Following Is the Function of Restriction Endonucleases