What is the Difference Between Phusion and Taq Polymerase?

Phusion and Taq polymerase are both heat-stable DNA polymerases used in PCR techniques, but they have some differences in their properties and performance:

1. Processivity: Phusion DNA polymerase has a processivity approximately 10-fold greater than Pfu DNA polymerase and twice that of Taq DNA polymerase. This high processivity results in shorter extension times, more robust amplification, and the ability to amplify long templates (up to 20 kb) in a fraction of the time.
2. Fidelity: Phusion DNA polymerase has a much lower error rate compared to Taq DNA polymerase. The error rate of Phusion DNA polymerase is approximately 50-fold lower than that of Taq DNA polymerase and six-fold lower than that of Pfu DNA polymerase.
3. Origin: Phusion polymerase is isolated from the extremophile Pyrococcus furiosus, while Taq polymerase is isolated from the thermostable bacteria Thermus aquaticus.
4. Performance: Phusion DNA polymerase is more highly processive than Taq polymerase, making it faster and capable of handling much longer amplicons. However, Taq polymerase is still used as the standard polymerase enzyme in PCR.

In summary, Phusion DNA polymerase offers advantages in terms of processivity and fidelity compared to Taq polymerase, making it suitable for amplifying long templates with high specificity and improved robustness. However, Taq polymerase remains a popular choice for standard PCR applications.

Comparative Table: Phusion vs Taq Polymerase

Here is a table comparing the differences between Phusion and Taq Polymerase:

Please note that the information in this table is based on the available search results and may not be exhaustive.