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	~~'''Taq polymerase''' is a [[thermostable]] [[DNA polymerase]] named after the [[thermophilic]] bacterium ''[[Thermus aquaticus]]'', from which it was originally isolated. This~~ enzyme ~~is a key component~~ in ~~[[polymerase chain reaction]] (~~PCR~~), a widely used laboratory technique for amplifying~~ DNA sequences.		{{Short description\|An enzyme used in PCR to amplify DNA sequences}}
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2023}}

	== ~~History~~ ==		==Overview==
	~~The discovery of~~ Taq polymerase ~~was~~ a ~~significant breakthrough in the field of~~ [[~~molecular biology~~]]~~. The enzyme was first isolated from~~ ''Thermus aquaticus'', a ~~bacterium that thrives in hot springs,~~ in the ~~late 1960s. However~~, ~~its potential for use~~ in ~~PCR was not realized until the 1980s~~.		'''Taq polymerase''' is a thermostable [[DNA polymerase]] named after the thermophilic bacterium ''[[Thermus aquaticus]]'' from which it was originally isolated. This enzyme is a key component in the [[polymerase chain reaction]] (PCR), a technique widely used in [[molecular biology]] to amplify segments of [[DNA]].

	== ~~Characteristics~~ ==		==Discovery and Properties==
	Taq polymerase ~~is a thermostable enzyme, meaning it can~~ withstand high temperatures ~~without losing its functionality. This property~~ makes it ~~ideal for use~~ in ~~PCR~~, ~~which involves repeated cycles of high-temperature heating and cooling.~~ Taq polymerase ~~has a temperature optimum of approximately 75-80°C,~~ and ~~can remain~~ active ~~even after incubation~~ at 95°C for ~~several hours~~.		Taq polymerase was discovered in the 1960s in the hot springs of [[Yellowstone National Park]]. Its ability to withstand the high temperatures required for PCR makes it invaluable in [[biotechnology]]. Unlike other DNA polymerases, Taq polymerase remains stable and active at temperatures up to 95°C, which is necessary for the denaturation step in PCR.

	== ~~Role~~ in PCR ==		==Function in PCR==
	In PCR, Taq polymerase synthesizes new ~~strands of~~ DNA ~~from~~ a ~~DNA template and~~ [[~~primers~~]]~~. The enzyme adds~~ [[~~nucleotides~~]] ~~to the 3~~' ~~end of~~ the ~~primer, extending~~ the ~~DNA strand~~. ~~Because~~ Taq polymerase ~~is thermostable~~, it can ~~survive the high temperatures used~~ in ~~PCR to separate~~ the DNA ~~strands, eliminating the need to add fresh enzyme after each cycle~~.		[[File:Taq_polimerase.png\|thumb\|right\|Taq polymerase structure]]
			In PCR, Taq polymerase synthesizes a new DNA strand by adding [[nucleotides]] to a [[primer]] annealed to a [[template DNA]] strand. The enzyme's optimal activity occurs at around 75-80°C, which is the temperature used during the extension phase of PCR. Taq polymerase lacks [[3' to 5' exonuclease activity]], meaning it does not have proofreading ability, which can lead to errors in the amplified DNA.

	== ~~Limitations~~ ==		==Applications==
	~~While~~ Taq polymerase ~~has revolutionized molecular biology~~, ~~it is not without its limitations. The enzyme lacks~~ [[~~proofreading~~]] ~~activity, which means it can introduce errors into the DNA sequence during amplification. This can be a problem in applications where accuracy is critical~~, ~~such as~~ [[~~DNA sequencing~~]] and [[genotyping]].		Taq polymerase is used in various applications beyond PCR, including [[DNA sequencing]], [[cloning]], and [[genotyping]]. Its robustness and efficiency make it a staple in laboratories worldwide.

	== ~~See also~~ ==		==Limitations==
			Despite its widespread use, Taq polymerase has limitations, such as its lack of proofreading ability, which can result in a higher error rate compared to other polymerases with proofreading functions. This can be a concern in applications requiring high fidelity.

			==Related pages==
	* [[Polymerase chain reaction]]		* [[Polymerase chain reaction]]
			* [[DNA polymerase]]
	* [[Thermus aquaticus]]		* [[Thermus aquaticus]]
	* [[DNA polymerase]]
	* [[Molecular biology]]		* [[Molecular biology]]

	[[Category:Enzymes]]		[[Category:Enzymes]]
	[[Category:Molecular biology]]		[[Category:Molecular biology techniques]]
	~~[[Category:PCR]]~~
	~~{{Enzymes}}~~
	~~{{Molecular-biology-stub}}~~

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2024-03-04T23:39:43Z

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'''Taq polymerase''' is a [[thermostable]] [[DNA polymerase]] named after the [[thermophilic]] bacterium ''[[Thermus aquaticus]]'', from which it was originally isolated. This enzyme is a key component in [[polymerase chain reaction]] (PCR), a widely used laboratory technique for amplifying DNA sequences.

== History ==
The discovery of Taq polymerase was a significant breakthrough in the field of [[molecular biology]]. The enzyme was first isolated from ''Thermus aquaticus'', a bacterium that thrives in hot springs, in the late 1960s. However, its potential for use in PCR was not realized until the 1980s.

== Characteristics ==
Taq polymerase is a thermostable enzyme, meaning it can withstand high temperatures without losing its functionality. This property makes it ideal for use in PCR, which involves repeated cycles of high-temperature heating and cooling. Taq polymerase has a temperature optimum of approximately 75-80°C, and can remain active even after incubation at 95°C for several hours.

== Role in PCR ==
In PCR, Taq polymerase synthesizes new strands of DNA from a DNA template and [[primers]]. The enzyme adds [[nucleotides]] to the 3' end of the primer, extending the DNA strand. Because Taq polymerase is thermostable, it can survive the high temperatures used in PCR to separate the DNA strands, eliminating the need to add fresh enzyme after each cycle.

== Limitations ==
While Taq polymerase has revolutionized molecular biology, it is not without its limitations. The enzyme lacks [[proofreading]] activity, which means it can introduce errors into the DNA sequence during amplification. This can be a problem in applications where accuracy is critical, such as [[DNA sequencing]] and [[genotyping]].

== See also ==
* [[Polymerase chain reaction]]
* [[Thermus aquaticus]]
* [[DNA polymerase]]
* [[Molecular biology]]

[[Category:Enzymes]]
[[Category:Molecular biology]]
[[Category:PCR]]
{{Enzymes}}
{{Molecular-biology-stub}}

Taq polymerase - Revision history

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