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Manipulation of DNA in genetic engineering became possible due to the discovery of : -
A
Restriction endonuclease
B
DNA ligase
C
Transcriptase
D
Primase
Detailed Solution
Restriction endonucleases recognise specific base sequences (palindromes) in DNA and cut the DNA at specific sites, often leaving sticky ends.
Their discovery (Arber, Smith and Nathans, Nobel Prize 1978) made it possible to cut DNA into defined fragments and to cut a vector and a foreign gene with the same enzyme so that they can be joined.
This was the key step that made recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering possible. Ligase, which joins DNA, was also needed, but cutting at specific sites was the breakthrough.
So manipulation of DNA became possible due to the discovery of restriction endonuclease.
Their discovery (Arber, Smith and Nathans, Nobel Prize 1978) made it possible to cut DNA into defined fragments and to cut a vector and a foreign gene with the same enzyme so that they can be joined.
This was the key step that made recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering possible. Ligase, which joins DNA, was also needed, but cutting at specific sites was the breakthrough.
So manipulation of DNA became possible due to the discovery of restriction endonuclease.