Merck, 4914058001, FastStart Universal Probe Master (Rox)

Hot start protocols have been shown to significantly improve the specificity, sensitivity, and yield of PCR. Heat-labile blocking groups on some of the amino acid residues of FastStart™ Taq DNA Polymerase make the modified enzyme inactive at room temperature. Therefore, there is no elongation during the period when primers can nonspecifically bind. FastStart™ Taq DNA Polymerase is activated by removing the blocking groups at a high temperature (i.e., a preincubation step at +95°C).