What is meant by the designation EcoRI Do not simply state t

What is meant by the designation EcoRI? Do not simply state the type of macromolecule designated by EcoRI, but explain why it is so named.

Solution

EcoRI is a restriction digestion enzyme which is routinely used in recombinant DNA technology. The nomenclature of this enzyme is so because there is are guidelines suggesting how to name the restriction enzymes.

For particularly this enzyme, the designations of different terms of nomenclature can be found as below:

Eco: Taken from E. coli, since the enzyme was first isolated from E. coli.

R: Stands for \"restriction\"

I: I stands for the class of restriction enzymes. The class I of restriction enzymes denote the enzymes which cleave the target DNA randomly and far away from their recognition sites. This distance can be as high as 1000 base pairs from the recognition site of the enzyme.

Thus, EcoRI stands for a restriction enzyme isolated from E. coli which digests the target DNA after identifying its recognition sequence as G*AATTC upto 1000 base pairs away.

Thus, it is not simply a type of macromolecule designated by EcoRI, but contains a very well defined of rules of nomenclature.