Source: wikibot/restriction-site
= Restriction site
{wiki=Restriction_site}
A **restriction site** refers to a specific sequence of nucleotides in the DNA that is recognized and cut by a type of enzyme known as a **restriction enzyme** or **restriction endonuclease**. These enzymes are produced naturally by bacteria as a defense mechanism against viruses and can recognize specific palindromic DNA sequences, typically ranging from 4 to 8 base pairs in length.