
Restriction Endonucleases
The Leader in the Discovery and Production of Restriction Enzymes
With over 40 years of offering restriction enzymes to the research community, NEB has earned the reputation of being a leader in enzyme technologies. Working continuously to be worthy of that distinction, NEB strives to develop enzymes of the highest purity and unparalleled performance.
NEB scientists continue to improve its portfolio of restriction enzymes, as well as explore their utility in new
technologies. As a result, NEB scientists continue to publish scientific papers and to be awarded grants in this area.
With the industry’s largest research and development group dedicated to restriction enzymes, we are proud to have
been there first: the first to commercialize a recombinant enzyme, the first to introduce a nicking enzyme, and the first
to supply a true restriction enzyme master mix. In addition, NEB has an ongoing history of innovation by engineering
restriction enzymes with altered specificities and improved performance. Through continued research in these areas, we
are committed to driving the innovations that allow us to offer maximum convenience and performance.
For details on NEB’s quality controls for restriction endonucleases, visit our Restriction Enzyme Quality page.
All of NEB's Restriction enzymes have transitioned to a new buffer system. Visit NEBCutSmart.com for further details.
Convenience
- >215 restriction enzymes are 100% active in a single buffer – CutSmart™ Buffer.
- 194 restriction enzymes are Time-Saver qualified, meaning you can digest DNA in 5-15 minutes, or digest DNA safely overnight.
- Choose from 285 restriction enzymes, the largest selection commercially available.
Performance
- Choose a High-Fidelity (HF®) restriction enzyme, which has been engineered for reduced star activity, rapid digestion (5-15 minutes) and 100% activity in CutSmart Buffer. A vial of 6X Purple Loading Dye is included with every HF restriction enzyme.
- All of our restriction enzymes undergo stringent quality control testing, ensuring the highest levels of purity and lot-to-lot consistency.

Use Enzyme Finder to select restriction enzyme by name, sequence, overhang or type.
Restriction Endonucleases includes these subcategories:
FAQs for Restriction Endonucleases
Protocols for Restriction Endonucleases
- Double Digest Protocol using One RE-Mix and One Standard Restriction Enzyme
- Double Digest Protocol using Two RE-Mix® Enzymes
- Standard Digest Using RE-Mix®
- Digestion of Agarose-Embedded DNA
- Double Digest Protocol with Standard Restriction Enzymes
- Protocol for Digestion Prior to droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)
- Protocol for Direct Digestion of gDNA during droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)
- Optimizing Restriction Endonuclease Reactions
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CutSmart Trifold
The CutSmart™ Trifold provides information about the benefits of using CutSmart Buffer with NEB restriction enzymes.
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NEB Restriction Enzyme Activity Poster
Find the optimal NEBuffer and approximate activity in the four standard NEBuffers and NEBuffer EcoRI for each enzyme, and learn the best conditions for double digests.
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Restriction Endonucleases Technical Guide
The Restriction Enzyme Technical Guide provides product information and technical reference charts on the wide range of restriction enzymes available from NEB.
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A Modern Day Gene Genie Sir Richard Roberts on Rebase
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Type II Restriction Enzymes
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Restriction Endonucleases: Molecular Cloning and Beyond
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Restriction Enzyme Cleavage: ‘single-site’ enzymes and ‘multi-site’ enzymes
Restriction enzymes are proteins used to fragment and clone DNA, but their biological function is to protect bacteria and archaea against viral infections.
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Whole genome assembly from next generation sequencing data using restriction and nicking enzymes in optical mapping and proximity-based ligation strategies
High throughput sequencing methods have revolutionized genomic analysis by producing millions of sequence reads from an organism’s DNA at an ever decreasing cost.
- DNA Sequences and Maps Tool
- REBASE
- Alphabetized List of Recognition Specificities
- Average Fragment Size Generated By Endonuclease Cleavage
- Compatible Cohesive Ends and Generation of New Restriction Sites
- Cross Index of Recognition Sequences
- Dam-Dcm and CpG Methylation
- Enzymes with Multiple Recognition Sequences
- Enzymes with Nonpalindromic Sequences
- Frequencies of Restriction Sites
- Interrupted Palindromes
- Isoschizomers
- Recleavable Blunt Ends
- Recleavable Filled-in 5' Overhangs
- Time-Saver™ Qualified Enzymes
- Why Choose Recombinant Enzymes?
- Restriction Enzyme Troubleshooting Guide
- Activity at 37°C for Restriction Enzymes with Alternate Incubation Temperatures
- Activity of Restriction Enzymes in PCR Buffers
- Alteration of Apparent Recognition Specificities Using Methylases
- Cleavage Close to the End of DNA Fragments
- Cleavage of Supercoiled DNA
- Dam and Dcm Methylases of E. coli
- Digestion of Agarose-Embedded DNA: Info for Specific Enzymes
- Double Digests
- Effects of CpG Methylation on Restriction Enzyme Cleavage
- Heat Inactivation
- Megabase Mapping
- NEBuffer Activity/Performance Chart with Restriction Enzymes
- Optimizing Restriction Endonuclease Reactions
- Reduced Star Activities of HF® Enzymes
- Restriction Endonucleases - Survival in a Reaction
- Restriction Enzyme Diluent Buffer Compatibility
- Restriction Enzyme Tips
- Restriction Enzymes for Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR)
- Restriction enzymes requiring multi-sites for efficient cleavage
- Restriction of Foreign DNA by E. coli K-12
- Site Preferences
- Star Activity
- Traditional Cloning Quick Guide
Other Tools & Resources
Brochures
Feature Articles
Interactive Tools
Selection Tools
Troubleshooting Guides
Usage Guidelines
- Shah, S., Sanchez, J., Stewart, A., et al. 2015. Probing the Run-On Oligomer of Activated SgrAI Bound to DNA PLoS One. 10(4), PubMedID: 25880668, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124783.
- Loenen, W.A., Raleigh, E.A. 2014. The other face of restriction: modification-dependent enzymes. Nucleic Acids Res. 42, PubMedID: 23990325, DOI:
- Kamps-Hughes, N., Quimby, A., Zhu, Z., Johnson, E.A. 2013. Massively parallel characterization of restriction endonucleases Scopus. 41(11), PubMedID: 23605040, DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt257
- Fu YB, Peterson G. W., Dong Y 2016. Increasing Genome Sampling and Improving SNP Genotyping for Genotyping-by-Sequencing with New Combinations of Restriction Enzymes G3. 6:4, PubMedID: 26818077, DOI:
Publications related to Restriction Endonucleases
Legal Information
While NEB develops and validates its products for various applications, the use of this product may require the buyer to obtain additional third party intellectual property rights for certain applications.
For more information about commercial rights, please contact NEB's Global Business Development team at gbd@neb.com.
This product is intended for research purposes only. This product is not intended to be used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes in humans or animals.