Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA Polymerase

• Thermostable 5ʹ→3ʹ DNA polymerase with antibody-mediated hot start
• Increased specificity, sensitivity and yield in PCR reactions
• Lacks a 3ʹ→5ʹ proofreading function but retains 5ʹ→3ʹ exonuclease activity
• 72-hour stability at room temperature for simple setup and automated workflows
• Tolerance to wide ranges of Mg2+ and annealing temperatures

Phoenix™ Hot Start Taq DNA Polymerase provides antibody-based hot start for robust PCR performance with exceptional pre-PCR cycling room-temperature stability.

Supplied in: 
20 mM Tris-HCl, 100 mM NaCl, 0.1 mM EDTA, Stabilizer and 50% glycerol; pH 7.5 at 25°C.

Supplied with: 
5X Phoenix Hot Start Taq Reaction Buffer (B7590) and 5X Phoenix Hot Start Taq GC Reaction Buffer (B7591)

OEM by QIAGEN offers bulk manufacturing of Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA Polymerase in custom formulations, including Low 
glycerol and glycerol-free formulations.

Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA Polymerase is a recombinant, thermostable Taq DNA polymerase complexed with a thermostable, neutralizing antibody that blocks the 5ʹ→3ʹ polymerase activity prior to the initial DNA denaturation step of PCR (1, 2). Such antibody-mediated hot-start capability enhances the overall specificity, sensitivity and yield of the PCR by reducing nonspecific amplification and primer–dimer formation prior to PCR cycling and allows the convenience of reaction set up at room temperature. When the temperature of the PCR mixture reaches ≥94°C during the initial DNA denaturing step of PCR cycling, activity of the Taq DNA polymerase is fully restored. Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA Polymerase, like standard Taq DNA polymerase, also has 5ʹ→3ʹ exonuclease activity, but lacks any detectable 3ʹ→5ʹ exonuclease activity.

• Increased amplification specificity compared to regular Taq DNA polymerase
• Increased amplification yield and overall success rate
• Rapid reactivation and shorter PCR cycle time with antibody method
• High sensitivity amplification with 300 pg human genomic DNA
• Multiplexing capability with minimal optimization
• High success rates with GC-rich targets

Polymerase properties

Storage temperature: –25°C to –15°C

Source of recombinant enzyme protein: A recombinant E. coli strain carrying the Taq DNA polymerase gene from the 
thermophilic organism Thermus aquaticus YT-1 complexed with a monoclonal antibody derived from murine cell culture.

Unit definition: One unit is defined as the amount of enzyme that will incorporate 10 nmol of dNTP into acid-insoluble material in 
30 minutes at 75°C.

Molecular weight: 94kDa

Optimum extension temperature: 66–72°C

Extension rate: 60 seconds per kilobase at 72˚C

Proofreading (3'-5' exo): No

Nick-translation (5'-3' exo): Yes

Strand displacement: No

Extends from a nick: Yes

General precautions should be taken when setting up PCR, including steps to avoid cross-contamination and ensure gentle pipetting, thorough mixing and brief centrifugation after all components are added to the reaction. The following procedure can be used as a guideline. Reactions may need to be optimized individually depending on the desired result.

The tables below provide information for 50 µl reactions and typical cycling conditions. The total reaction volume can be adjusted as needed. Cycling conditions may need to be optimized, depending on the amplicon of interest.

* Required for template denaturation and activation of Phoenix Hot Start Taq Polymerase.

Usage Notes
1. 5x Phoenix Hot Start Taq Buffer should be used as the default buffer. For GC-rich and difficult templates, use 5x Phoenix Hot Start Taq GC Buffer.
2. A final concentration of 0.2 µM is recommended for each primer, but can be varied in the range of 0.2–1 µM.
3. The following table give the recommended template quantities.

4. One unit of enzyme is usually sufficient for amplifying most targets, but more may be required (up to 2.5 units) in multiplex PCR or to increase yields of difficult or long targets.
5. Both 5x Phoenix Hot Start Taq Buffer and the GC buffer are formulated so that they will provide 2 mM Mg²⁺ in the final reaction (i.e., when diluted to 1x). In cases where additional Mg²⁺ optimization is required, adjust the final Mg²⁺ concentration in 0.2 mM steps.

Quality control analysis

Functionality of Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA polymerase is evaluated by its ability to amplify DNA targets by PCR in 
reaction buffers B7590 and B7591 following a 24-hour incubation at room temperature. After heat activation and PCR 
amplification, the samples resulted in visible single-band amplicons as determined by agarose gel electrophoresis.

Taq Inhibition is measured by the residual activity of Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA polymerase in the absence of a ≥ 
94⁰C heat activation step. Phoenix Hot Start Taq DNA polymerase and Taq DNA Polymerase (Taq DNA Polymerase 
without Taq Antibody) were incubated in the presence of Calf Thymus DNA, 50 µM 3H-dTTP, 100 µM dNTPs and 1X 
reaction buffer B7590 or B7591. After a 24-hour incubation at room temperature, the samples were analyzed for total 
3H-dTTP counts incorporated using the method of Sambrook and Russell (Molecular Cloning, v3, 2001, pp. A8.25-
A8.26).

Single-Stranded Exonuclease is determined in a 50 µl reaction containing a radiolabeled single-stranded DNA 
substrate and 10 µl of enzyme solution incubated for 4 hours at 37°C.

Double-stranded exonuclease activity is determined in a 50 µl reaction containing a radiolabeled double-stranded DNA substrate and 10 µl of enzyme solution incubated for 4 hours at 37°C.

Double-stranded endonuclease activity is determined in a 50 µl reaction containing 0.5 µg of plasmid DNA and 10 
µl of enzyme solution incubated for 4 hours at 37°C.

This product is available for molecular biology applications such as:

• Routine PCR amplification up to 5 kb
• High-throuput PCR
• Primer extension
• Multiplex PCR and RT-PCR
• Probe or dye-based real-time qPCR and RT-qPCR

References
1. Chou, Q., et al. (1992) Nucleic Acids Res. 20: 1717.
2. Sharkey, D., et al. (1994) Nature Biotechnology 12: 506.