DNA polymerases for everyday PCR
Thermo Scientific DreamTaq DNA Polymerase is an enhanced Taq DNA polymerase, available in standard and hot-start formats, that offers a balance between performance and value. DreamTaq DNA polymerases are supplied with specially optimized buffers that enable robust DNA amplification with minimal optimization of reaction conditions. The Thermo Scientific DreamTaq Green Buffer also supports convenient direct gel loading of PCR products.
Highlights
- Higher yields, sensitivity and target length than conventional Taq enzymes
- Robust amplification without MgCl2 optimization
- Standalone and master mix formats for convenience in reaction setup
- Direct gel loading with the green buffer to help simplify downstream gel analysis
Video: How to perform colony PCR
Comparison between DreamTaq and DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerases
| DreamTaq DNA Polymerase | DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase | |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity (vs. Taq DNA polymerase) | 1x | 1x |
| Enhanced specificity(hot-start modification) | No | Yes |
| Sensitivity(human gDNA) | 30 pg | 3 pg |
| Amplification length(human gDNA / lambda DNA) | 6 kb* / 20 kb | 6 kb* / 20 kb |
| dUTP incorporation | No | Yes |
| 3′A overhang | Yes | Yes |
| DNA synthesis rate | 1 min/kb | 1 min/kb |
| Stand-alone enzyme | ||
| Master mix |
* Up to 7.5 kb and 9 kb are possible with the standard and hot-start versions, respectively
** Contains inert green dyes for direct gel loading of PCR products
Reasons to choose DreamTaq DNA Polymerase
- Optimized for basic PCR applications
- Higher sensitivity, longer PCR products, and higher yields than conventional Taq DNA polymerases
- Robust DNA amplification with minimal optimization of reaction conditions
Increased PCR sensitivity and amplicon yields
DreamTaq DNA Polymerase provides higher PCR sensitivity in comparison to conventional Taq enzymes. Robust amplification can be achieved even with very low amounts of template DNA.
Figure 1. High yields with low amounts of DNA template. A 956 bp fragment from human genomic DNA was amplified with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase (A) and Taq DNA Polymerases from other vendors (B-F) according to manufacturers’ recommendations using 30 pg, 300 pg, 3 ng and 30 ng of template DNA, respectively. Only DreamTaq DNA Polymerase was able to amplify from all template amounts giving high yields (A).
A: DreamTaq Green PCR Master Mix; B: NEB OneTaq Quick-Load 2X Master Mix with Standard Buffer; C: Promega GoTaq G2 Green Master Mix; D: Bioline MyTaq Red Mix; E: TaKaRa EmeraldAmp GT PCR Master Mix; F: Qiagen Taq PCR Master Mix Kit; DNA ladder: Thermo Scientific GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder.
Robust amplification of longer amplicons
DreamTaq DNA Polymerase outperforms conventional Taq enzymes, providing higher yields and amplifying longer amplicons. With DreamTaq DNA polymerase it is possible to amplify targets up to 7.5 kb from genomic DNA and up to 20 kb from lambda DNA.
Figure 2. Amplification of longer amplicons with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase. DNA fragments of increasing length (160 bp, 345 bp, 727 bp, 1988 bp, 4473 bp, 7500 bp) were amplified with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase (A) and Taq DNA polymerases from other vendors (B–H) according to manufacturers’ recommendations. Only DreamTaq DNA Polymerase was able to amplify all fragments even up to 7.5 kb with high yields and specificity.
A: DreamTaq DNA Polymerase; B: Promega GoTaq G2 DNA Polymerase; C: NEB OneTaq DNA Polymerase; D: Qiagen Taq DNA Polymerase; E: Roche Taq DNA Polymerase; F: Bioline MyTaq DNA Polymerase; G: TaKaRa TaqDNA Polymerase; H: KAPA Biosystems Taq PCR Kit; DNA ladder: GeneRuler 1 kb plus DNA Ladder.
Ready-to-load PCR products
The DreamTaq Green format is a combination of DreamTaq DNA Polymerase and the Green reaction buffer. The buffer includes a density reagent and two tracking dyes for direct loading of PCR products on gels. The Green Buffer does not interfere with the performance of DreamTaq DNA Polymerase and is compatible with downstream applications including DNA sequencing, ligation and restriction digestion.
Figure 3. Equal PCR performance with green and colorless reaction buffer. DNA fragments (376 bp, 634 bp, 2000 bp) were amplified with DreamTaq and DreamTaq Green Master Mixes with equal efficiency. DNA Ladder: GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder.
Figure 4. Reaction mixtures containing DreamTaq Green Reaction Buffer. (A) Before electrophoresis. (B) Blue and yellow tracking dyes after electrophoresis. Blue dye migrates as 3–5 kb fragment, yellow dye migrates faster than 10 bp fragment allowing monitoring of electrophoresis progress.
Robust amplification with minimal optimization
DreamTaq DNA Polymerase is supplied with optimized DreamTaq buffer, which was specifically formulated allowing robust amplification of different fragments at a single MgCl2 concentration. DreamTaq buffer includes both KCl and (NH4)2SO4. The optimized ratio of the two salts allows for amplification of almost any fragment at a single MgCl2 concentration, increases specificity during PCR and supports wider primer annealing temperatures.
Figure 5. Optimal MgCl2 concentration for different fragment amplification. Three DNA fragments were amplified with an increasing amount of MgCl2 concentration. At 2 mM concentration, which is the final MgCl2 concentration in a reaction with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase, all three fragments were amplified with high yields and no nonspecific PCR products.
1: 2 mM MgCl2; 2: 2.5 mM MgCl2; 3: 3 mM MgCl2; 4: 4 mM MgCl2; DNA Ladder: ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder.
Why hot-start PCR?
Better reaction outcomes:
- Reduced nonspecific amplification
- Increased sensitivity
- Increased yield
Convenience with:
- Room-temperature reaction setup
- Reaction stability at room-temperature
DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase is the hot-start version of our enhanced DreamTaq DNA Polymerase, offering higher yields and longer amplicons than conventional Taq-based products. Due to its hot-start modification, the DNA polymerase provides increased sensitivity and specificity, as well as reaction setup at room temperature without compromising PCR specificity and yield.
High specificity and yields from various length amplicons
DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase outperforms the competition by amplifying various fragments with high yields. Due to its strong hot-start properties, a specific fragment is amplified without nonspecific products (Figure 1).
M:GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder; 1: DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 2: Promega GoTaq G2 Hot Start Polymerase; 3: NEB OneTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 4: TaKaRa Taq DNA Polymerase Hot Start Version; 5: Kapa Biosystems KAPA2G Robust HotStart PCR Kit; 6: Bioline MyTaq HS DNA Polymerase.
Ideal when using limited starting material
With the ability to detect low-abundance DNA templates as small as 3 pg of human genomic DNA, DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase is ideal for use in experiments where the amount of starting material is limited or the target DNA concentration in the sample is low (Figure 2).
M:GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder; 1: DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 2: TaKaRa Taq DNA Polymerase Hot Start Version; 3: Kapa Biosystems KAPA2G Robust HotStart PCR Kit; 4: Bioline MyTaq HS DNA Polymerase; 5: NEB OneTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 6: Promega GoTaq G2 Hot Start Polymerase.
Robust yields across a wide range of amplicons
DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase is capable of amplifying a wide range of amplicons: up to 9 kb from human genomic DNA and up to 20 kb from lambda DNA (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Consistent and reliable amplification. DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase amplifies human genomic DNA with high specificity up to 9 kb amplicons. Even longer 20 kb amplicons can be amplified with lambda DNA templates.
M: GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder.
Reasons to choose DreamTaq DNA Polymerase
- Optimized for basic PCR applications
- Higher sensitivity, longer PCR products, and higher yields than conventional Taq DNA polymerases
- Robust DNA amplification with minimal optimization of reaction conditions
Increased PCR sensitivity and amplicon yields
DreamTaq DNA Polymerase provides higher PCR sensitivity in comparison to conventional Taq enzymes. Robust amplification can be achieved even with very low amounts of template DNA.
Figure 1. High yields with low amounts of DNA template. A 956 bp fragment from human genomic DNA was amplified with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase (A) and Taq DNA Polymerases from other vendors (B-F) according to manufacturers’ recommendations using 30 pg, 300 pg, 3 ng and 30 ng of template DNA, respectively. Only DreamTaq DNA Polymerase was able to amplify from all template amounts giving high yields (A).
A: DreamTaq Green PCR Master Mix; B: NEB OneTaq Quick-Load 2X Master Mix with Standard Buffer; C: Promega GoTaq G2 Green Master Mix; D: Bioline MyTaq Red Mix; E: TaKaRa EmeraldAmp GT PCR Master Mix; F: Qiagen Taq PCR Master Mix Kit; DNA ladder: Thermo Scientific GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder.
Robust amplification of longer amplicons
DreamTaq DNA Polymerase outperforms conventional Taq enzymes, providing higher yields and amplifying longer amplicons. With DreamTaq DNA polymerase it is possible to amplify targets up to 7.5 kb from genomic DNA and up to 20 kb from lambda DNA.
Figure 2. Amplification of longer amplicons with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase. DNA fragments of increasing length (160 bp, 345 bp, 727 bp, 1988 bp, 4473 bp, 7500 bp) were amplified with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase (A) and Taq DNA polymerases from other vendors (B–H) according to manufacturers’ recommendations. Only DreamTaq DNA Polymerase was able to amplify all fragments even up to 7.5 kb with high yields and specificity.
A: DreamTaq DNA Polymerase; B: Promega GoTaq G2 DNA Polymerase; C: NEB OneTaq DNA Polymerase; D: Qiagen Taq DNA Polymerase; E: Roche Taq DNA Polymerase; F: Bioline MyTaq DNA Polymerase; G: TaKaRa TaqDNA Polymerase; H: KAPA Biosystems Taq PCR Kit; DNA ladder: GeneRuler 1 kb plus DNA Ladder.
Ready-to-load PCR products
The DreamTaq Green format is a combination of DreamTaq DNA Polymerase and the Green reaction buffer. The buffer includes a density reagent and two tracking dyes for direct loading of PCR products on gels. The Green Buffer does not interfere with the performance of DreamTaq DNA Polymerase and is compatible with downstream applications including DNA sequencing, ligation and restriction digestion.
Figure 3. Equal PCR performance with green and colorless reaction buffer. DNA fragments (376 bp, 634 bp, 2000 bp) were amplified with DreamTaq and DreamTaq Green Master Mixes with equal efficiency. DNA Ladder: GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder.
Figure 4. Reaction mixtures containing DreamTaq Green Reaction Buffer. (A) Before electrophoresis. (B) Blue and yellow tracking dyes after electrophoresis. Blue dye migrates as 3–5 kb fragment, yellow dye migrates faster than 10 bp fragment allowing monitoring of electrophoresis progress.
Robust amplification with minimal optimization
DreamTaq DNA Polymerase is supplied with optimized DreamTaq buffer, which was specifically formulated allowing robust amplification of different fragments at a single MgCl2 concentration. DreamTaq buffer includes both KCl and (NH4)2SO4. The optimized ratio of the two salts allows for amplification of almost any fragment at a single MgCl2 concentration, increases specificity during PCR and supports wider primer annealing temperatures.
Figure 5. Optimal MgCl2 concentration for different fragment amplification. Three DNA fragments were amplified with an increasing amount of MgCl2 concentration. At 2 mM concentration, which is the final MgCl2 concentration in a reaction with DreamTaq DNA Polymerase, all three fragments were amplified with high yields and no nonspecific PCR products.
1: 2 mM MgCl2; 2: 2.5 mM MgCl2; 3: 3 mM MgCl2; 4: 4 mM MgCl2; DNA Ladder: ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder.
Why hot-start PCR?
Better reaction outcomes:
- Reduced nonspecific amplification
- Increased sensitivity
- Increased yield
Convenience with:
- Room-temperature reaction setup
- Reaction stability at room-temperature
DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase is the hot-start version of our enhanced DreamTaq DNA Polymerase, offering higher yields and longer amplicons than conventional Taq-based products. Due to its hot-start modification, the DNA polymerase provides increased sensitivity and specificity, as well as reaction setup at room temperature without compromising PCR specificity and yield.
High specificity and yields from various length amplicons
DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase outperforms the competition by amplifying various fragments with high yields. Due to its strong hot-start properties, a specific fragment is amplified without nonspecific products (Figure 1).
M:GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder; 1: DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 2: Promega GoTaq G2 Hot Start Polymerase; 3: NEB OneTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 4: TaKaRa Taq DNA Polymerase Hot Start Version; 5: Kapa Biosystems KAPA2G Robust HotStart PCR Kit; 6: Bioline MyTaq HS DNA Polymerase.
Ideal when using limited starting material
With the ability to detect low-abundance DNA templates as small as 3 pg of human genomic DNA, DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase is ideal for use in experiments where the amount of starting material is limited or the target DNA concentration in the sample is low (Figure 2).
M:GeneRuler Express DNA Ladder; 1: DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 2: TaKaRa Taq DNA Polymerase Hot Start Version; 3: Kapa Biosystems KAPA2G Robust HotStart PCR Kit; 4: Bioline MyTaq HS DNA Polymerase; 5: NEB OneTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase; 6: Promega GoTaq G2 Hot Start Polymerase.
Robust yields across a wide range of amplicons
DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase is capable of amplifying a wide range of amplicons: up to 9 kb from human genomic DNA and up to 20 kb from lambda DNA (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Consistent and reliable amplification. DreamTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase amplifies human genomic DNA with high specificity up to 9 kb amplicons. Even longer 20 kb amplicons can be amplified with lambda DNA templates.
M: GeneRuler 1 kb Plus DNA Ladder.
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