Meaning of NUCLEASE

Pronunciation:			'nooklee`eys
WordNet Dictionary
	Definition:		[n]  general term for enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleic acid by cleaving chains of nucleotides into smaller units
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	See Also:		endonuclease, enzyme, exonuclease
Biology Dictionary
	Definition:		An enzyme that breaks down the linkages (phosphodiesters) between nucleic acids in a nucleotide chain.
Glossary
	Definition:		A class of enzymes that degrades DNA and/or RNA molecules by cleaving the phosphodiester bonds that link adjacent nucleotides. In deoxyribonuclease (DNase), the substrate is DNA. In endonuclease, it cleaves at internal sites in the substrate molecule. Exonuclease progressively cleaves from the end of the substrate molecule. In ribonuclease (RNase), the substrate is RNA. In the S1 nuclease, the substrate is single-stranded DNA or RNA.