Endonuclease (核酸内切酶)

Endonucleases are a class of enzymes that can cleave phosphodiester bonds within nucleic acid molecules. According to the substrates they act on, endonucleases can be classified into DNA endonucleases and RNA endonucleases. According to their structural and functional characteristics, endonucleases can be divided into restriction endonucleases, non-specific endonucleases, and site-specific endonucleases. Endonucleases play an important role in the fields of DNA repair, RNA processing, and genetic engineering. Mutations in the genes encoding endonucleases can lead to genetic diseases, such as xeroderma pigmentosum. Abnormal expression or altered activity of endonucleases may promote tumorigenesis, be involved in the pathological processes of neurodegenerative diseases, and at the same time, endonucleases are also potential targets for the treatment of diseases such as tumors^[1][2].