Platinum™ II Hot-Start PCR Master Mix (2X), 50 reactions - FAQs

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12 product FAQs found

What is the storage temperature of Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase products?

Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase products can be stored at 4 degrees C for up to 3 months. For longer storage, we recommend storing all components at -20 degrees C.

Is the PCR product from reactions performed with Platinum II Hot-Start PCR Master Mix and Platinum II Hot-Start Green PCR Master Mix compatible with E-Gel agarose gels?

Electrophoretic separation on E-Gel agarose gels depends on the salt concentration in the analyzed sample. For optimal separation, we recommend diluting PCR reactions performed with colorless and green Platinum II PCR Master Mixes 2- to 20-fold, prior to running on E-Gel agarose gels. The dyes in the Platinum II Hot-Start Green PCR Master Mix do not interfere with fragment separation on E-Gel agarose gels.

Do the dyes in Platinum II Green PCR Buffer interfere with PCR performance of Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase?

No. The tracing dyes (a blue and a yellow dye) in Platinum II Green PCR Buffer do not interfere with PCR performance and do not change any enzyme features.

Can Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase be used in master mixes for qPCR?

Yes, Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase can be used in qPCR master mixes for target detection and quantification in a real-time PCR instrument using probes or SYBR Green dye.

Can I keep my PCR reactions with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase at room temperature before the cycling starts?

Yes. Due to stable antibody-mediated hot-start technology, Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase is highly stable. The premixed reactions for PCR can be incubated at room temperature for up to 24 hr before loading in the thermal cycler, without any loss of amplification specificity.

Can I use the same cycling protocol that I use with standard hot-start Taq for PCR reactions with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase?

PCR reactions with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase can be run using the same cycling protocol and annealing temperature as that for standard hot-start Taq polymerase

Can I use a 2-step cycling protocol with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase, combining the annealing and extension steps?

Yes, simple amplicons up to 1 kb with 45-65% GC sequences can be synthesized using a 2-step cycling protocol with a combined annealing/extension step at 60 degrees C. With the 2-step protocol, a denaturation step is performed for 5 sec at the increased temperature of 98 degrees C. For longer, GC-rich, and complex amplicons, or cDNA targets, we recommend using a 3-step cycling protocol.

What is the DNA synthesis rate in PCR with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase?

Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase contains engineered Taq DNA polymerase with increased DNA synthesis rate of 15 sec/kb at 68 degrees C extension temperature. Conveniently, the extension step can be prolonged up to 1 min/kb without a negative effect on specificity. This allows the cycling of shorter and longer amplicons together using the same protocol.

Can Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase amplify GC-rich targets?

All Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase product formats are supplied with Platinum GC Enhancer that is optimized to improve amplification of GC-rich targets (recommended for use with targets containing >65% GC).

My PCR with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase amplifies non-specific products. What are your recommendations?

Usually, primers that are well designed and work in PCR with standard Taq under standard PCR conditions, anneal specifically in Platinum II PCR buffer at 60 degrees C regardless of their Tm. If amplification of a particular template-primer pair does not give satisfactory results, we recommend redesigning the primers.

If there is no possibility for redesign, use a temperature gradient and empirically determine the optimal annealing temperature. Start with an annealing temperature that is at least 5 degrees C lower than your primer Tm.

With Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase and Platinum II PCR buffer, how is it possible to use an annealing temperature of 60 degrees C for any primer pair?

5X Platinum II PCR Buffer contains isostabilizing molecules that increase primer-template duplex stability during the annealing step and contribute to enhanced specificity. As a result, we expect most primer pairs to anneal at 60 degrees C in this polymerase/buffer system, eliminating the need for annealing temperature optimization.

Do my primers need to have a melting temperature (Tm) of 60 degrees C for use with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase and Platinum II PCR buffer?

No, primers with various melting temperatures can be used. If designed following the general primer design rules, the majority of primers will anneal specifically at 60 degrees C regardless of their melting temperature.