ECORI METHYLASE Meaning and
Definition
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Ecori methylase, also known as EcoRI-specific methyltransferase, is an enzyme belonging to the category of DNA methyltransferases. It is derived from Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria and primarily functions as a protective mechanism against its own restriction enzyme, EcoRI. The Ecori methylase enzyme adds a methyl group to the DNA sequence recognized by EcoRI, thereby preventing EcoRI restriction enzyme from cleaving the DNA at that specific site.
The action of Ecori methylase occurs by attaching the methyl group to the cytosine residue in the DNA sequence 5′-GAATTC-3′, which is the recognition site of EcoRI. The process of methylation introduces a chemical modification to the DNA molecule, altering its structure and conformation. This modification inhibits the EcoRI enzyme, preventing it from breaking the DNA strand.
Ecori methylase is part of a larger biological defense mechanism called the restriction-modification system present in various bacteria. This system acts as a means of protection against foreign DNA, such as that from bacteriophages or other bacterial competitors. While the restriction endonucleases cleave DNA at specific recognition sites, the methylase enzymes modify the same recognition sites to evade cleavage. Therefore, Ecori methylase contributes to the maintenance of the integrity and stability of the bacterial genome. Research and understanding of Ecori methylase and similar enzymes have proven crucial in various molecular biology techniques like DNA sequencing, recombinant DNA technology, and gene cloning.
Common Misspellings for ECORI METHYLASE
- wcori methylase
- scori methylase
- dcori methylase
- rcori methylase
- 4cori methylase
- 3cori methylase
- exori methylase
- evori methylase
- efori methylase
- edori methylase
- eciri methylase
- eckri methylase
- eclri methylase
- ecpri methylase
- ec0ri methylase
- ec9ri methylase
- ecoei methylase
- ecodi methylase
- ecofi methylase
- ecoti methylase
Etymology of ECORI METHYLASE
The word "EcorI methylase" is a compound term consisting of two parts: "EcorI" and "methylase".
The term "EcorI" refers to the name of a specific type of restriction enzyme. Restriction enzymes are proteins that are involved in DNA cutting and manipulation. They recognize specific DNA sequences and cut the DNA at or near those sequences. "EcorI" specifically refers to a restriction enzyme derived from the bacterium Escherichia coli strain RY13.
On the other hand, the term "methylase" refers to an enzyme responsible for adding a methyl group (-CH3) to a molecule. In the context of DNA, methylases commonly add methyl groups to specific nucleotides, which can affect gene expression and DNA stability.
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