Topic summary
Exoribonucleases
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Exoribonuclease.
Exoribonucleases can use either water to cleave the nucleotide-nucleotide bond (which is called hydrolytic activity) or inorganic phosphate (which is called phosphorolytic activity). Hydrolytic exoribonucleases are classified under EC number 3.1 and phosphorolytic exoribonucleases under EC number 2.7.7. As the phosphorolytic enzymes use inorganic phosphate to cleave bonds they release nucleotide diphosphates, whereas the hydrolytic enzymes (which use water) release nucleotide monosphosphates.