Microwave-mediated enzymatic modifications of DNA

Here we report microwave-induced specific cleavage, ligation, dephosphorylation, and phosphorylation of nucleic acids catalyzed by restriction endonucleases, T4 DNA ligase, T4 polynucleotide kinase, and calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase. The microwave-mediated method has dramatically reduced the reaction time to 20 to 50 s. In control experiments, the same reactions failed to give the desired reaction products when carried out in the same time periods but without microwave irradiation. Because the microwave method is rapid, it could be a useful alternative to the time-consuming conventional procedure for enzymatic modification of DNA.