DNA nucleotide sequence restricted by the RI endonuclease.

The sequence of DNA base pairs adjacent to the phosphodiester bonds cleaved by the RI restriction endonuclease in unmodified DNA from coliphage lambda has been determined. The 5'-terminal nucleotide labeled with (32)P and oligonucleotides up to the heptamer were analyzed from a pancreatic DNase digest. The following sequence of nucleotides adjacent to the RI break made in lambda DNA was deduced from these data and from the 3'-dinucleotide sequence and nearest-neighbor analysis obtained from repair synthesis with the DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus [Formula: see text] The RI endonuclease cleavage of the phosphodiester bonds (indicated by arrows) generates 5'-phosphoryls and short cohesive termini of four nucleotides, (p)A(p)A(p)T(p)T. The most striking feature of the sequence is its symmetry.