Arber and others had already studied restriction enzymes that recognize
specific DNA sequences, but these type I enzymes cut the DNA at random
places other than the recognition site. While studying the mechanism
whereby the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae is able to take up DNA
from the phage virus P22, Smith and his colleagues discovered the first
of what came to be called type II restriction enzymes. These enzymes
not only recognize a specific region in a DNA sequence but always cut
the DNA at that very site. This predictable behaviour made type II restriction
enzymes valuable tools in the study of DNA structure and in recombinant
DNA technology.
|
Main Page | About Us | All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. Timeline of Nobel Prize Winners is not affiliated with The Nobel Foundation. External sites are not endorsed or supported by http://www.nobel-winners.com/ Copyright © 2003 All Rights Reserved. |