Question

Name the source organism of taq polymerase. What is the specific role of this enzyme in PCR?

Answer 1

The source organism of taq polymerase is the bacterium thermus aquaticus. This enzyme plays a crucial role in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by catalysing the synthesis of new DNA strands. During PCR, the double-stranded DNA is repeatedly heated to high temperatures to separate the strands (denaturation). Taq polymerase remains active even at these high temperatures, unlike other DNA polymerases that would denature. This thermostability allows it to extend the primers by adding nucleotides complementary to the single-stranded DNA template at about 72°C during the extension step. Consequently, Taq polymerase enables repeated cycles of DNA replication, amplifying the target DNA segment up to approximately one billion copies, making it essential for PCR-based amplification.