Anexoribonuclease is anexonucleaseribonuclease, which are enzymes that degradeRNA by removing terminalnucleotides from either the5' end or the3' end of the RNA molecule. Enzymes that remove nucleotides from the 5' end are called5'-3' exoribonucleases, and enzymes that remove nucleotides from the 3' end are called3'-5' exoribonucleases.

Exoribonucleases can use either water to cleave the nucleotide-nucleotide bond (which is called hydrolytic activity) orinorganic phosphate (which is called phosphorolytic activity). Hydrolytic exoribonucleases are classified underEC number 3.1 and phosphorolytic exoribonucleases under EC number 2.7.7. As the phosphorolytic enzymes use inorganic phosphate to cleave bonds they releasenucleotide diphosphates, whereas the hydrolytic enzymes (which use water) releasenucleotide monosphosphates.

Exoribonucleases exist in all kingdoms of life, thebacteria,archaea, andeukaryotes. Exoribonucleases are involved in the degradation of many different RNA species, includingmessenger RNA,transfer RNA,ribosomal RNA andmiRNA. Exoribonucleases can be single proteins (such asRNase D orRNase PH) but also can be complexes of multiple proteins, such as theexosome complex (in which four of the major exoribonuclease families are represented).

• Endoribonuclease
• Nuclease
• Deoxyribonuclease
• Exodeoxyribonuclease
• Endodeoxyribonuclease

• Zuo Y; Deutscher MP. (2001)."Exoribonuclease superfamilies: structural analysis and phylogenetic distribution".Nucleic Acids Res.29 (5):1017–26.doi:10.1093/nar/29.5.1017.PMC 56904.PMID 11222749.

• Exoribonucleases at the U.S. National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings (MeSH)

• EC 3.1
• Ribonucleases

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