An enzyme capable of hydrolyzing highly polymerised DNA by splitting phosphodiester linkages, preferentially adjacent to a pyrimidine nucleotide. This catalyses endonucleolytic cleavage of DNA yielding 5'-phosphodi- and oligonucleotide end-products. The enzyme has a preference for double-stranded DNA.
Registry number: EC 3.1.21.1
(12 Dec 1998)