Nucleic acid is fragmented by enzyme

Options

A. Ligases
B. Proteases
C. Nucleases
D. Polymerases

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Question**: The question asks which enzyme is responsible for fragmenting nucleic acids. Nucleic acids include DNA and RNA.

2. **Identifying the Options**: The options provided are:
- Ligases
- Proteases
- Nucleases
- Polymerases

3. **Analyzing Each Option**:
- **Ligases**: These enzymes are responsible for joining nucleic acids together, not fragmenting them. They facilitate the joining of DNA fragments during processes like DNA replication and repair.
- **Proteases**: These enzymes break down proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids. They do not act on nucleic acids.
- **Nucleases**: These are the enzymes that specifically break down nucleic acids. They cleave the phosphodiester bonds within nucleic acid chains, resulting in fragmented DNA or RNA. An example is restriction endonucleases, which cut DNA at specific sequences.
- **Polymerases**: These enzymes synthesize nucleic acids by adding nucleotides to a growing chain. They are involved in processes like DNA replication and transcription but do not fragment nucleic acids.

4. **Conclusion**: Based on the analysis, the correct answer is **nucleases**, as they are the enzymes that fragment nucleic acids.

5. **Final Answer**: Nucleic acid is fragmented by the enzyme **nucleases**.

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