I.R. Lehman discovered exonuclease I in E. coli in 1971.
While Lehman discovered the first exonuclease, specifically exonuclease I, subsequent research has uncovered a variety of exonucleases, each with unique functions and characteristics. This initial discovery paved the way for understanding the crucial roles these enzymes play in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. The discovery of exonuclease I was followed by the identification of other exonucleases, including exonuclease II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII, expanding our understanding of the diverse mechanisms of DNA processing.
