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What is Taq DNA polymerase?

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    April 29, 2024 1:25 AM EDT

    What is Taq DNA polymerase?

    Taq DNA polymerase is an enzyme that can withstand heat and it plays a role in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a widely used method for quickly copying DNA sequences in molecular biology. It was named after Thermus aquaticus, a bacterium found in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park that can live at very high temperatures.Get more news about Taq DNA polymerase,you can vist our website!

    The key characteristic of Taq DNA polymerase is its ability to function at extreme temperatures up to 75-80°C which are necessary for PCR and it helps in synthesis of new strands of DNA. Such stability has been developed by this enzyme as a protective mechanism against unfriendly environment conditions where it was discovered.

    In the process of PCR, Taq DNA polymerase adds nucleotides onto an existing template strand by complementary base pairing with each base on such template strand. It does this by extending the 3' end of a primer so that it copies part or all of parent molecule sequence into daughter molecules.

    Furthermore, there is another important function performed by Taq DNA polymerase during PCR; proofreading activity from 5' →3'exonuclease side which allows recognition and correction errors made during replication process. This feature greatly increases fidelity therefore ensures accuracy when amplifying fragments through replication.

    To wrap up our discussion we can say that Taq DNA Polymerase serves as one among many enzymes required for successful completion of different types PCRs used in various fields like medicine diagnosis or forensic genetics investigation etc., thereby making possible rapid duplication particular gene regions needed for analysis purposes. It’s ability to survive at high temperatures coupled with its exonuclease activity also makes this enzyme very useful tool in molecular biology researches as well as diagnostics applications.