EcoRV

EcoRV (pronounced "eco R five") is a type II restriction endonuclease isolated from certain strains of Escherichia coli.

The enzyme recognizes the palindromic 6-base DNA sequence 5'-GAT|ATC-3' and makes a blunt end at the vertical line.

The structure of this enzyme, and several mutants, in complex with the DNA sequence which it cuts has been solved by X-ray crystallography.

[2] EcoRV is the only type II restriction endonuclease known to cause a major protein-induced conformational change in the DNA.

[2] EcoRV is often used to cut open a plasmid vector to insert a gene-of-interest during gene cloning.

DNA recognition sequence of EcoRV. The green line represents the cut site.
EcoRV cleaving DNA. The protein loosely binds DNA and scans for its recognition sequence. Once found, EcoRV kinks the DNA in a 50° angle and cleaves at the cognate sequence.