Digestion of Nucleic Acids
Several nucleases present in the pancreatic juice like RNAase and DNAase digest various nucleic acids- These enzymes are endonucleases which hydrolyze internal phosphodiester bonds which are located more centrally in the nucleic acid. They form shorter length chains with 3'-hydroxyl and 5'-phosphoryl or 5'-hydroxyl and 3'- phosphoryl terminus. Some act on both the strands, whereas, others can hydrolyze only single strand of nucleic acids. Phosphatases present in the intestinal juice remove phosphate from hexophosphates, glycerophosphates and nucleotides derived from the food.