DNase1, also known as deoxyribonuclease I and DNL1, is a member of the DNase family. DNaseI is a nuclease that cleaves DNA preferentially at phosphodiester linkages adjacent to a pyrimidine nucleotide, yielding 5'-phosphate-terminated polynucleotides with a free hydroxyl group on position 3', on average producing tetranucleotides. DNaseI binds to the cytoskeletal protein actin. It binds actin monomers with very high (sub-nanomolar) affinity and actin polymers with lower affinity. Mutations in DNase1 gene have been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease. DNase1 is used to treat the one of the symptoms of cystic fibrosis by hydrolyzing the extracellular DNA in sputum and reducing its viscosity.
