DNA ligase
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In molecular biology, DNA ligase is an enzyme that repairs broken DNA strands. DNA ligase (EC 6.5.1.1) is a particular type of enzyme that can form covalent phosphodiester bonds and ligate or connect (broken) DNA strands.
An example of how a ligase works (with sticky ends):
5'-AGTCTGATCTGACT GATGCGTATGCTAGTGCT-3' 3'-TCAGACTAGACTGACTACG CATACGATCACGA-5'
becomes
5'-AGTCTGATCTGACTGATGCGTATGCTAGTGCT-3' 3'-TCAGACTAGACTGACTACGCATACGATCACGA-5'
External links
- DNA Ligase: PDB molecule of the month (http://nist.rcsb.org/pdb/molecules/pdb55_1.html)