Hot Start Polymerases

Hot start polymerases are useful enzyme formulations that generally contain a thermostable polymerase and an accompanying inhibitor. Often an antibody, the inhibitor binds reversibly to the enzyme to allow activation only beyond temperatures of 45 °C. Because the polymerase will not carry out polymerization until it is sufficiently heated during PCR, sample preparation can be reliably done while at room temperature. This mixture is used for hot-start PCR, a modified form of PCR that reduces non-specific binding and formation of primer dimers. Engineered hot start Taq polymerases are also available, which can offer improvements in specificity and sensitivity. Visit the enzyme supplier page for more details.