BinI: a new site-specific endonuclease from Bifidobacterium infantis.

A new restriction endonuclease, BinI, from Bifidobacterium infantis 659 has been isolated. By mapping and sequencing of the cleavage sites on SV40 DNA, it was deduced that BinI recognizes the asymmetric pentanucleotide sequence (formula; see text) and cleaves at the sites indicated by the arrows, generating mononucleotide 5'-terminal extensions. BinI is a member of a unique class of Type-II restriction endonucleases which recognize a specific but asymmetric sequence and cleave at a site several bases away.