| Once the primers are attached, the temperature is raised to 76°C (the optimum temperature for Taq polymerase activity). The enzyme polymerase has a structure that has been compared to a half-open right hand. The single stranded DNA template with primer attached is cradled in the palm, while the "thumb" and "fingers" hold the strand in the right position to attach the incoming dNTPs The extension process takes place very quickly and is highly accurate, attaching hundreds of nucleotides per second to the DNA strand. |
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