endonuclease
noun
en·do·nu·cle·ase ˌen-dō-ˈnü-klē-ˌās 
-ˌāz,
-ˈnyü-
: an enzyme that breaks down a nucleotide chain into two or more shorter chains by cleaving the internal covalent bonds linking nucleotides compare exonuclease
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The other is an endonuclease, nonstructural protein 15 (NSP15). 
William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021 Both circular strands of DNA are protected from endonucleases. Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, 29 Aug. 2019 Xofluza interferes with a protein inside the flu virus called polymerase acidic endonuclease, which helps stop the virus from replicating, Dr. Adalja explains. Korin Miller, SELF, 26 Oct. 2018 Humans don’t make UV endonuclease, either; researchers found it in a bacterium called Micrococcus luteus. Robbie Gonzalez, WIRED, 2 July 2018 Oftentimes those sequences were flanked by a set of genes coding for a class of strand-cutting enzymes called endonucleases. Megan Molteni, WIRED, 27 Apr. 2018
William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021 Both circular strands of DNA are protected from endonucleases. Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, 29 Aug. 2019 Xofluza interferes with a protein inside the flu virus called polymerase acidic endonuclease, which helps stop the virus from replicating, Dr. Adalja explains. Korin Miller, SELF, 26 Oct. 2018 Humans don’t make UV endonuclease, either; researchers found it in a bacterium called Micrococcus luteus. Robbie Gonzalez, WIRED, 2 July 2018 Oftentimes those sequences were flanked by a set of genes coding for a class of strand-cutting enzymes called endonucleases. Megan Molteni, WIRED, 27 Apr. 2018 Word History
First Known Use
1962, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
endonuclease
noun
en·do·nu·cle·ase -ˈn(y)ü-klē-ˌās, -ˌāz
: an enzyme that breaks down a nucleotide chain into two or more shorter chains by cleaving the internal phosphodiester bonds see restriction endonuclease compare exonuclease