DNA ligase#Applications in molecular biology research

Under ligation is understood in molecular biology, the enzyme-catalyzed linkage of two DNA or RNA segments at their ends. Here, the 3'- hydroxyl end is connected to the 5 ' phosphate end of the nucleic acid segments using the enzyme ligase to form a phosphodiester bond.

Common applications for the ligation, for example, when cloning. " Foreign" DNA is introduced into a plasmid. The plasmid is cleaved with restriction enzymes to ( linearized ). Likewise linear foreign DNA is incubated with the cleaved plasmid, and a ligase, the ends are respectively connected.

More rarely, two RNA molecules are linked together by ligation. To increase the yield is often a so-called DNA splint used which is complementary to the ends of both RNAs and can bring it in such proximity. This type of ligation is often referred to by the authors of the first description as Moore -Sharp DNA - splinted RNA ligation.

Swell

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