A type of enzyme that can cleave molecules of foreign DNA at a particular sequence of (usually four to six) bases called a restriction site, or recognition sequence. Restriction enzymes are produced by many bacteria and protect the cell by cleaving (and therefore destroying) the DNA of invading viruses. The bacterial cell is protected from attack by its own restriction enzymes by modifying the bases of its DNA during replication. Restriction enzymes are widely used in the techniques of genetic engineering (see DNA library; DNA profiling; DNA sequencing; gene cloning; restriction mapping).