nuclease

/ˌnukliˈeɪs/

Definitions of nuclease

1. noun

   general term for enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleic acid by cleaving chains of nucleotides into smaller units
   types:

   endonuclease

   a nuclease that cleaves nucleic acids at interior bonds and so produces fragments of various sizes

   exonuclease

   a nuclease that releases one nucleotide at a time (serially) beginning at one of a nucleic acid

   restriction endonuclease, restriction enzyme, restriction nuclease

   any of the enzymes that cut nucleic acid at specific restriction sites and produce restriction fragments; obtained from bacteria (where they cripple viral invaders); used in recombinant DNA technology

   type of:

   enzyme

   any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions