Question

Which of the following enzymes breaks the nucleic acid into nucleotides?
A. Amylases
B. Nucleases
C. Lipases
D. Proteases

Answer 1

The biopolymers or the large biomolecules which are essential to all known forms of life are nucleic acids. The overall name for DNA and RNA is a nucleic acid. The nucleic acid is composed of monomers called nucleotides.

Complete answer: Nucleic acids like DNA and RNA are the genetic material of all the known organisms. In some viruses and bacteria, the genetic material is RNA while most animals and humans have DNA as genetic material. Nucleic acids are composed of monomers called nucleotides. These monomers are made up of three components. They are 5-carbon sugar, nitrogen base, and a phosphate group. Helical backbones are formed by the strings of nucleotides. In DNA two helical strings are present while in RNA one helical string is present. The breakdown of nucleic acid is catalyzed by the enzyme nuclease. Nucleases are further classified as endonuclease and exonuclease depending on which portion of the nucleotide is removed. The enzyme which removes nucleotides from the internal position is called endonuclease and the enzyme which removes nucleotides from external positrons is called exonuclease. In genetic engineering, breaking down DNA at specific sites is done with the use of enzyme restriction endonuclease. Nuclease is also called nucleo depolymerase. The breakdown of nucleic acid into nucleotides is done by cleaving the phosphodiester bond which is present between the nucleotides in the nucleic acids.
So, option B is the correct option.

Note: Amylase enzyme is present in the saliva and regulates the function of converting starch into sugar. The hydrolysis of fats is done by the enzyme lipase. It plays an essential role in digestion. The breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides called amino acids is done by enzyme protease.