DNAligas
DNAligas refers to a family of enzymes that catalyze the sealing of nicks in double-stranded DNA by forming a phosphodiester bond between adjacent nucleotides. The reaction is essential for DNA replication and various DNA repair pathways, and without ligases, DNA strands remain broken.
Most DNAligas operate via a two-step mechanism that proceeds through an enzyme-adenylate intermediate. The ligase is
Type-specific roles: In eukaryotes the principal replicative enzyme is DNA Ligase I, which seals nicks on the
Biotechnological use: DNA ligases are widely used to join DNA fragments in cloning, vector construction, and
Clinical and evolutionary notes: Mutations in human ligases, particularly LIG4, LIG1, or LIG3, can compromise DNA