GoTaq® Hot Start Polymerase contains the high-performance GoTaq® DNA Polymerase bound to a proprietary antibody that blocks polymerase activity. The polymerase activity is restored during the initial denaturation step when the amplification reactions are heated at 94-95 degrees C for two minutes. This enables hot-start PCR, where polymerase activity is eliminated or minimized at temperatures below 70 degrees C. GoTaq® Hot Start Polymerase exhibits 5′ –> 3′ exonuclease activity.

GoTaq® Hot Start Master Mixes are premixed, ready-to-use solutions containing GoTaq® Hot Start Polymerase, magnesium, dNTPs and buffer. Reactions can be set up in less than a minute at room temperature; simply add your template, water and primers. The Master Mixes contain a compound that increases sample density so that samples sink easily into wells of an agarose gel. The GoTaq® Hot Start Green Master Mix also contains two dyes (yellow and blue) that separate to allow easy monitoring during electrophoresis. Use the Green Master Mix for direct-to-gel analysis after amplification and the Colorless Master Mix for amplifications where the dyes may interfere with post-amplification analysis such as fluorescence or absorbance testing.