restriction enzymes

Question 1

why do people do it

Answer 1

DNA molecules are too large to be analyzed so biologist cut them into smaller fragments sing restriction enzymes

if you have a specific target sequence of DNA that you are trying to isolate, like a particular gene, you can just use RE

Question 2

what are restriction enzymes

Answer 2

are proteins synthesized by many bacteria to protect themselves from “invasions” of foreign DNA from other bacteria or viruses

also called restriction endonucleases since they cut within the molecule

act like scissors

Question 3

how do RE know where to cut

Answer 3

each enzyme cuts DNA at a specific base sequence called recognition site/ sequence

Question 4

sticky vs blunt ends

Answer 4

means that fragments produced after being cut in the “stair step” pattern have unpaired bases

blunt: cut straight across so no unpaired bases