Question

Restriction endonucleases are, in general, quite slow enzymes with typical turnover numbers of 1 s^-1. Suppose that endonucleases were faster with turnover numbers similar to those for carbonic anhydrase (10⁶ s^-1). Would this increased rate be beneficial to host cells, assuming that the fast enzymes have similar levels of specificity.

Answer 1

No, this increased rate would not be beneficial to the host cells because the restriction endonuclease enzyme will destroy the DNA of the host organism before methylation takes place.