The PCR amplification process most frequently employs an enzyme known as Taq DNA polymerase.
Taq Polymerase, or Taq DNA polymerase, is a biological catalyst that helps nucleotides join together to form DNA. Taq polymerase is a protein that is 832-amino acids long and has a molecular weight of 94 kilodaltons. It is a homolog of the Pol I DNA polymerase that is found in <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>E.coli</em>) (approx). This enzyme can withstand temperatures up to 95 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes before reaching its half-life. At the ideal temperature of 72 degrees Celsius, the rate of nucleotide incorporation ranges from two to four kilobases per minute.
Polymerase chain reaction operates at a very high temperature. At this temperature, Taq polymerase is able to carry out its function efficiently.
They change conformation/shape when the right molecule bind in their active site.
They enable reactions to proceed ‘downhill’. For enzyme, when the reactants are more than the products, the reaction proceeds to the right of the reaction. Career proteins also carry molecules down their concentration gradient.
Both career proteins and enzymes are not denatured during the process of their biological activity
