Hot Start Products

During standard PCR cycling, primer-dimer formation and other nonspecific primer annealing can occur while the machine is heating up.  This can be detrimental for tough PCR reactions. It is possible to perform a manual hot-start by adding the enzyme or other critical reaction component after the tubes reach melting temperature.  But using a hot start product makes the process much easier. 

Our Cesium enzymes are double cold-sensitive mutants of Taq or Klentaq1 DNA Polymerases.  They provide an automatic hot start for PCR due to suppressed activity at low temperatures.

In addition, all enzymes listed are reversibly bound to an aptamer.  The aptamer forms a hairpin and binds to the active site of the polymerase at sub-cycling temperatures, inactivating the enzyme and preventing spurious amplification. The aptamer is released at the first melt step, allowing full enzyme activity.

RockStart buffer is designed to provide a hot-start with any DNA polymerase.  It works by preciptating the Magnesium at room temperature and preventing enzyme activity.  The Magnesium is released upon normal cycling conditions.