What is the function of Taq polymerase in PCR?

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Taq polymerase is a thermostable DNA polymerase that plays a crucial role during the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process. Its primary function is to synthesize new DNA strands from the template DNA. During the amplification phase of PCR, Taq polymerase extends primers by adding nucleotides complementary to the template strand, leading to the production of new copies of DNA.

The distinct advantage of Taq polymerase is its ability to withstand the high temperatures used during PCR cycles, specifically the denaturation step (usually around 94-98°C) where the DNA strands are separated. This property allows it to be used repeatedly in the process without denaturing, enabling efficient and effective amplification of target DNA segments.

In summary, Taq polymerase is essential for synthesizing new DNA strands during the amplification phase of PCR, making it a fundamental component in molecular biology for cloning, gene expression analysis, and other applications that require DNA amplification.

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