Bacterium that produces HindIII

Question

The optimal working temperature for the restriction endonuclease HindIII is 37°C. Given this information, where do you think the bacterium that produces HindIII is found? Briefly explain your answer.

Answer 1

The bacterium likely lives in the human body because 37°C is approximately normal human body temperature. Enzymes generally function most efficiently at temperatures similar to those of the environments in which their organisms live. Since HindIII works optimally at 37°C, this suggests that the bacterium is adapted to living in a warm environment, such as the human body.