Difference between Taq Polymerase and DNA Polymerase

The differentiating factor between Taq polymerase and DNA polymerase lies in the capability of withstanding higher temperatures. Taq polymerase can tolerate higher temperatures without denaturing. On the other hand, the DNA polymerase, at higher temperatures, denatures (in the provision of temperatures which degrade proteins).

Taq Polymerase

• It is a thermostable DNA polymerase I, getting its name from the Thermus aquaticus, the thermophilic eubacterial microbe
• Typically, these find application in the PCR (Polymerase chain reaction)
• It thrives in the thermal vents and hot springs and does not degrade at higher temperatures. It is this very characteristic of the Taq polymerase which makes it useful in PCR
• The enzyme comprises a single polypeptide having a molecular weight of 94 kDa with optimum activity at a pH of 7-8 in the presence of magnesium ions

DNA Polymerase

• It is an enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of molecules of DNA from the nucleoside triphosphates, which serves as the molecular precursors of the DNA a
• These enzymes are important for the replication of DNA and typically function in clusters, creating two identical duplexes of DNA from a one original DNA duplex
• In the process, the enzyme reads the DNA strands, creating two new strands which tally with the current one. The enzymes are deployed in catalyzing the chemical reaction
• During each cell division, the enzyme is needed for the duplication of the DNA of the cell for a copy of the actual molecule of DNA to be transferred to each of the newly created daughter cell, hence the passing of the information

Key difference between Taq Polymerase And DNA Polymerase

The table below depicts the difference between Taq Polymerase And DNA Polymerase.

You read some differences between Taq Polymerase and DNA Polymerase.

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