(= phosphodiesterase) Any enzyme (in EC 3.1 class) that catalyses the hydrolysis of one of the two ester linkages in a phosphodiester. PDE-I (EC 3.1.4.1) catalyses removal of 5&`-nucleotides from the 3&` end of an oligonucleotide. PDE-II (EC 3.1.16.1) catalyses removal of 3&`-nucleotides from the 5&`-end of a nucleic acid. Often the name is used loosely when cAMP-phosphodiesterase is meant. See cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases.
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