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Restriction Enzymes

Restriction Enzymes

Restriction enzymes are bacterial enzymes used to cut DNA in a sequence-specific manner. To cleave DNA, they bind to specific palindromic sequences called restriction sites. Such palindromic DNA sequences or inverted repeats are commonly found in regions of functional significance, such as the origin of replication, gene operator sites, and regions containing transcription termination signals.
The host bacteria protect their own genomic DNA from these enzymes by methylating these sites. Some...

Introduction to Enzyme Kinetics

Introduction to Enzyme Kinetics

Enzyme kinetics studies the rates of biochemical reactions. Scientists monitor the reaction rates for a particular enzymatic reaction at various substrate concentrations. Additional trials with inhibitors or other molecules that affect the reaction rate may also be performed.
The experimenter can then plot the initial reaction rate or velocity (Vo) of a given trial against the substrate concentration ([S]) to obtain a graph of the reaction properties. For many enzymatic reactions involving a...

Introduction to Enzymes

Introduction to Enzymes

The use of enzymes by humans dates to 7000 BCE. Humans first used enzymes to ferment sugars and produce alcohol without knowing that this was an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. Wilhelm Kuhne coined the term 'enzyme' in 1877 from the Greek words ‘en’ meaning ‘in’ or ‘within’ and ‘zyme’ meaning ‘yeast.’
Most enzymes are proteins that speed up biochemical reactions without being consumed. Enzymes contain one or more active sites that...

Enzymes

Enzymes

Inside living organisms, enzymes act as catalysts for many biochemical reactions involved in cellular metabolism. The role of enzymes is to reduce the activation energies of biochemical reactions by forming complexes with its substrates. The lowering of activation energies favor an increase in the rates of biochemical reactions.
Enzyme deficiencies can often translate into life-threatening diseases. For example, a genetic abnormality resulting in the deficiency of the enzyme G6PD...

Ribozymes

Ribozymes

The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can...

Catalytically Perfect Enzymes

Catalytically Perfect Enzymes

The theory of catalytically perfect enzymes was first proposed by W.J. Albery and J. R. Knowles in 1976. These enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions at high-speed. Their catalytic efficiency values range from 108-109 M-1s-1. These enzymes are also called 'diffusion-controlled' as the only rate-limiting step in the catalysis is that of the substrate diffusion into the active site. Examples include triose phosphate isomerase, fumarase, and superoxide dismutase.

Most enzymes...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancements in DNA Nanosensors – Addressing Sensitivity and Selectivity Challenges in Molecular Detection

Author Spotlight: Advancements in DNA Nanosensors – Addressing Sensitivity and Selectivity Challenges in Molecular Detection

Published on: February 9, 2024

Challenges and Perspectives in Nucleic Acid Enzyme Engineering.

Darko Balke¹, Robert Hieronymus¹, Sabine Müller²

¹Institut für Biochemie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff Str. 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany.

Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology

|August 5, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers engineer nucleic acid enzymes like ribozymes and DNAzymes for various applications. Rational design, guided by structural understanding, enables custom molecular tools for diagnostics and cellular control.

Keywords:

Cleavage Engineering Ligation Recombination Ribozyme

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Author Spotlight: Advancements in DNA Nanosensors – Addressing Sensitivity and Selectivity Challenges in Molecular Detection

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Detection of Bacteria Using Fluorogenic DNAzymes

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In Vitro Directed Evolution of a Restriction Endonuclease with More Stringent Specificity

In Vitro Directed Evolution of a Restriction Endonuclease with More Stringent Specificity

Published on: March 25, 2020

Area of Science:

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Synthetic Biology
Bioengineering

Background:

Catalytic nucleic acids, including ribozymes and DNAzymes, have garnered significant research interest.
Engineered ribozymes catalyze diverse reactions relevant to the origin of life.
Allosterically regulated ribozymes and DNAzymes show promise for biosensors and molecular tools.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the engineering of nucleic acid enzymes with tailored functionalities.
To highlight the potential of rational design strategies for creating custom molecular tools.
To discuss the challenges and opportunities in nucleic enzyme engineering.

Main Methods:

In vitro selection techniques for nucleic acid enzyme development.
Rational design approaches focusing on sequence, structure, and function.
Structural modulation of ribozymes and DNAzymes for allosteric regulation.

Main Results:

A broad range of ribozymes have been successfully engineered.
Allosteric regulation of nucleic acid enzyme activity has been achieved.
Understanding of nucleic acid catalyst structures and mechanisms has advanced.

Conclusions:

Rational design is a powerful strategy for engineering custom nucleic acid enzymes.
Tailored nucleic acid catalysts have significant potential in diagnostics and cellular process control.
Further development in sequence and structural design will enhance custom molecular tool creation.