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Restriction enzymes can act only on double strand DNA. Restriction enzyme
recognizes and hydrolyzes the backbone of DNA between deoxyribose and phosphate
groups at or near the restriction sites. This leaves a phosphate group on the 5` ends
and a hydroxyl on the 3` end of both the strands. Thus, digestion with restriction
enzymes results in the fragmentation of the double stranded DNA molecule.
How do restriction enzymes work?
Restriction enzymes are used for genetic engineering. they expose the base sequence
of a DNA fragment. The enzymes cut the phosphate backbones of DNA molecules at
specific base sequences called recognition sites. Strands of DNA that have been cut
with restriction enzymes sometimes have single-stranded tails that readily realign with
tails from certain other DNA fragments. This technology allows removing a specific
gene from one organism and splicing it into another. Restriction enzymes originally
developed in bacteria as a defense against viruses, who inject DNA in bacteria which
takes over the cell. The bacteria's restriction enzymes cut up viral DNA before it can
take over the cell.