What is the Difference Between Restriction Endonuclease and Exonuclease?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Restriction endonucleases and exonucleases are both enzymes that cleave nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, but they differ in their specificity and site of cutting. Here are the main differences between them:
- Site of cleavage: Restriction endonucleases cleave DNA at specific recognition sites, while exonucleases cleave DNA at random sites, either from the 5' end or the 3' end.
- Specificity: Restriction endonucleases are sequence-specific, cutting at a specific sequence called the restriction site. Exonucleases, on the other hand, can be either sequence-specific or non-specific.
- Product: The product obtained after restriction endonuclease activity is oligonucleotide chains, while exonuclease activity yields individual nucleotide monomers.
- Ends: Restriction endonuclease activity can result in either blunt ends or sticky ends, while exonuclease activity always forms sticky ends.
- Origin: Restriction endonucleases are found only in prokaryotes, whereas exonucleases are found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
- Role: Restriction endonucleases play a role in blocking cells from pathogens, while exonucleases do not have any such role.
In summary, restriction endonucleases are sequence-specific enzymes that cleave DNA at specific recognition sites, yielding oligonucleotide chains, and play a role in protecting cells from pathogens. Exonucleases, on the other hand, are either sequence-specific or non-specific enzymes that cleave DNA at random sites, releasing individual nucleotides, and are found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
Comparative Table: Restriction Endonuclease vs Exonuclease
Here is a table comparing the differences between restriction endonucleases and exonucleases:
| Feature | Restriction Endonucleases | Exonucleases |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Cleave DNA at specific recognition sites | Cleave DNA at random sites |
| Product | Oligonucleotide chains | Individual nucleotides or nucleosides |
| Location | Found only in prokaryotes | Found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes |
| Site of Action | Cleave within or around the recognized DNA sequence | Cleave from the 5' or 3' ends of the polynucleotide sequence one nucleotide at a time |
| Cleavage Ends | Can result in blunt ends or sticky ends | Always form sticky ends |
| Types | Type I, II, III, IV, and V | 5' to 3' exonuclease, 3' to 5' exonuclease, and poly (A) specific 3' to 5' exonuclease |
| Lag Period | Exhibit a lag period during their activity | Do not exhibit any lag period |
| Defense | Play a role in blocking cells from pathogens | Do not have any role in blocking pathogens |
Restriction endonucleases are enzymes that recognize and cleave DNA at specific sites, while exonucleases cleave DNA at random sites. Restriction endonucleases are found only in prokaryotes, whereas exonucleases can be found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
- Endonuclease vs Exonuclease
- Type 1 2 vs 3 Restriction Endonuclease
- Exoenzyme vs Endoenzyme
- CRISPR vs Restriction Enzymes
- Introns vs Exons
- Endopeptidase vs Exopeptidase
- Base Excision Repair vs Nucleotide Excision Repair
- Type I vs Type II Restriction Enzyme
- EcoRI vs HindIII Restriction Enzymes
- DNA vs DNAse
- Ligase vs Lyase
- DNA Polymerase vs RNA Polymerase
- ORF vs Exon
- Isomerase vs Mutase Enzyme
- Mismatch Repair vs Nucleotide Excision Repair
- DNA Ligase vs DNA Polymerase
- Helicase vs Topoisomerase
- RNASE A vs RNASE H
- DNA vs RNA Extraction