Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Restriction enzymes follow a specific nomenclature based on the bacterial source from which they are isolated.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
For the enzyme EcoRI:
The first letter 'E' comes from the genus Escherichia.
The next two letters 'co' come from the species coli.
The letter 'R' is derived from the name of the specific strain, which is RY 13.
The Roman numeral 'I' indicates the order in which the enzyme was discovered or isolated from that strain.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The letter 'R' in EcoRI represents the strain of the organism.