Specific fragments of phi X174 deoxyribonucleic acid produced by a restriction enzyme from Haemophilus aegyptius, endonuclease Z.

A restriction-like enzyme has been purified from Haemophilus aegyptius. This nuclease, endonuclease Z, produces a rapid decrease in the viscosity of native calf thymus and H. influenzae deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA), but does not degrade homologous DNA. The specificity of endonuclease Z is different from that of the similar endonuclease isolated from H. influenzae (endonuclease R). The purified enzyme cleaves the double-stranded replicative form DNA of bacteriophage phiX174 (phiX174 RF DNA) into at least 11 specific limit fragments whose molecular sizes have been estimated by gel electrophoresis. The position of these fragments with respect to the genetic map of phiX174 can be determined by using the genetic assay for small fragments of phiX174 DNA.