Question

What is the chronological order of the discovery and isolation of the first restriction endonucleases, particularly focusing on EcoR1 and Hind II, and how do type I and type II restriction endonucleases differ in terms of their site specificity and utility in molecular biology?

Answer 1

Hind II was discovered and isolated in 1963, while EcoR1 was discovered and isolated in 1968. Type I restriction endonucleases have a different site specificity and are less commonly used in molecular biology compared to type II restriction endonucleases.

Step-by-step explanation:

The chronological order of the discovery and isolation of the first restriction endonucleases, focusing on EcoR1 and Hind II, is as follows:

1. Hind II was discovered and isolated in 1963 by Hamilton O. Smith and his team at Johns Hopkins University.
2. EcoR1 was discovered and isolated in 1968 by Herbert Boyer and Robert Helling at the University of California, San Francisco.

Type I and type II restriction endonucleases differ in terms of their site specificity and utility in molecular biology:

• Site Specificity: Type I restriction endonucleases recognize and cleave DNA sequences that are often far away from the recognition site, while type II restriction endonucleases recognize and cleave DNA sequences at or near the recognition site.
• Utility in Molecular Biology: Type I restriction endonucleases are less commonly used in molecular biology due to their complex mode of action, while type II restriction endonucleases are widely used for DNA manipulation techniques, such as cloning and genetic engineering.