2. Binding to the recognition site Once the recognition site is located, enzymes makes specific interaction with the nucleotides present at the recognition site via entry through major groove Hydrogen bonding, van der waals interaction plays crucial role in this step Enzyme DNA closed complex formation induces major conformational changes in restriction enzyme
3. Cleavage reaction The closed complex activates the cleavage activity of the enzyme resulting into the introduction of DNA break on both strand to give fragment with and a 5’-phosphate group