Question

Differentiate between the following:

DNA ligase and DNA polymerase

Answer 1

DNA Ligase	DNA Polymerase
1. DNA ligase is an enzyme that joins DNA fragments together.	1. DNA polymerase is an enzyme that synthesises new DNA strands.
2. It forms phosphodiester bonds between adjacent DNA fragments.	2. It adds complementary nucleotides to a growing DNA strand.
3. It is used to join foreign DNA with vector DNA in recombinant DNA technology.	3. It is used to synthesise and amplify DNA in recombinant DNA technology.
4. It plays an important role in DNA replication and repair by sealing breaks in DNA strands.	4. It plays an important role in DNA replication and repair by synthesising DNA.
5. Example: T4 DNA ligase.	5. Example: Taq DNA polymerase.