Taq polymerase
Heat-stable DNA copier
Taq polymerase is an enzyme used to amplify DNA in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Isolated from a bacterium that thrives in hot springs, it remains stable at temperatures that would destroy most enzymes—a property essential for the repeated heating cycles of PCR.
The technique revolutionized molecular biology, making it possible to generate millions of copies of a DNA segment from a tiny sample.
Unaffected by high temperatures
- thermostableUnaffected by high temperatures
- high-temperatureVery great heat
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- activityEngagement in doing
Increase in intensity
- denaturationStructural breakdown of proteins
- annealingHeat-softening of metals
- extensionAdded part or duration
- primersPreparatory coatings or introductions
template · nucleotides · cycling · magnesium · buffer · yield · specificity · fidelity
Original U.S. national park
- extremophileLife in harsh conditions
- thermophileHeat-adapted living thing
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- isolationComplete separation from others
discovery · Brock · geothermal · organism · prokaryote
Making identical copies
- sequencingDetermining element order
- genotypingAnalyzing DNA variants
- diagnosticsMethods identifying problems
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
Accelerating reactions without consumption
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- kineticsScience of motion forces
- proteinFolded amino chain
- recombinantGenetically engineered combination
heat-resistant
Unaffected by high temperatures
- thermostableUnaffected by high temperatures
- high-temperatureVery great heat
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
activity · robustness · durability · melting
amplification
Increase in intensity
- denaturationStructural breakdown of proteins
- annealingHeat-softening of metals
- extensionAdded part or duration
primers · template · nucleotides · cycling · magnesium · buffer · yield · specificity · fidelity · product
Yellowstone
Original U.S. national park
- extremophileLife in harsh conditions
- thermophileHeat-adapted living thing
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
isolation · discovery · Brock · geothermal · organism · prokaryote
cloning
Making identical copies
- sequencingDetermining element order
- genotypingAnalyzing DNA variants
- diagnosticsMethods identifying problems
catalysis
Accelerating reactions without consumption
- PCRPCR, amplification, primers, denaturation, annealing
- extremophilesextremophiles, extremophile, thermophiles, thermophile, cryophile
- lab reagentsreagent, buffer, buffers, formalin, pyridine
- PCR suppliesprimers, magnesium chloride, buffer solution
- Polymerasesreplicase, transcriptase
- DNA ReplicationDNA replication, replication, Okazaki fragments, genome duplication, RFC
polymers, polymerase, polymeric, polymerization, polymerized, polymerizing, DNA polymerase