New restriction endonucleases from Flavobacterium okeanokoites (FokI) and Micrococcus luteus (MluI)

Two new restriction endonucleases have been isolated from Flavobacterium okeanokoites IFO12536 and Micrococcus luteus IFO12992 and named FokI and MluI, respectively. Based on analysis of the sequences around the restriction sites, the recognition sequences and cleavage sites of these endonucleases were deduced as below: FokI: (formula: see text). MluI introduces double-strand cleavages at unique sequences that are completely two-fold rotationally symmetric like most type II restriction endonucleases. FokI belongs to a class of restriction endonucleases that recognize specific but asymmetric nucleotide sequences and introduce staggered cleavages at appointed positions away from the recognition sequences.