Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase

Engineered enzyme for high specificity and yield with fast cycling

Invitrogen Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase is designed to get you to your research destination, faster. A universal primer annealing feature reduces optimization steps and allows for co-cycling of different assays. A unique combination of innovative buffer, high-performance Taq DNA polymerase, and superior hot-start technology enables exceptional PCR results, even in the toughest applications.

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Highlights

  • Universal primer annealing at 60°C—simplifies optimization of primer annealing; helps to circumvent multiple PCR runs with co-cycling of different PCR targets
  • 4x faster DNA synthesis and high inhibitor tolerance—utilizes an engineered Taq polymerase that is extremely robust
  • Platinum hot-start technology—enhances PCR specificity, sensitivity, and yields; allows for room temperature reaction setup
  • Green buffer formats—help reduce pipetting errors with direct gel loading

Engineered for better PCR

Click the buttons below and discover the benefits of Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase.

 

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Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase advantages

Universal annealing protocol

PCR assays using conventional PCR reagents require specific protocols for amplification of each DNA fragment due to varying primer annealing temperatures and different durations of the extension step. Therefore, individual assays cannot be amplified in the same PCR run. With Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase, different PCR assays can be cycled in parallel using the same protocol with universal primer annealing temperature and the extension step selected for the longest fragment to be amplified. Moreover, Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase is a “fast” DNA polymerase; thus, the combination of this next-generation DNA polymerase and the universal protocol permits fast cycling of all assays in as little as 30 minutes.

Platinum2TaqHot-StartDNA-Polymerase-cycle-together

Figure 1. Time saving enabled by assay co-cycling. PCR assays using conventional PCR reagents require specific protocols for amplification of each DNA fragment because of the different primer annealing temperatures and extension steps. Therefore, with traditional PCR reagents, multiple targets often cannot be amplified together in the same PCR run. With Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase, different PCR assays can be cycled together using one protocol with a universal primer annealing temperature and the extension step selected for the longest fragment to be amplified. Moreover, Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase is a fast DNA polymerase, delivering PCR results in as little as 30 minutes.

Time saving enabled by assay co-cycling

Figure 2. Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase enables cycling of shorter and longer amplicons together. 132 bp, 251 bp, 1,005 bp, and 3.9 kb fragments were amplified from 50 ng of human genomic DNA in 50 μL reactions using Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase or other hot-start DNA polymerases: (A) NEB OneTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase, (B) Qiagen Fast Cycling PCR Kit, (C) Roche FastStart Taq DNA Polymerase. The same protocol was used for all four targets with the annealing and extension settings indicated. The size marker is Thermo Scientific ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder 2.

Fast cycling

Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase is an engineered enzyme with increased DNA synthesis rate. Therefore, with Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase PCR results are generally more than 2 times faster than other hot-start Taq DNA polymerases.

Fast cycling reduces PCR run time

Figure 3. Fast cycling reduces PCR run time. Amplification of a 529 bp fragment from 50 ng of human genomic DNA in 50 μL reactions for 35 cycles was carried out using Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase and hot-start DNA polymerases from other suppliers: (A) Sigma-Aldrich KAPA2G Fast HotStart PCR Kit, (B) NEB OneTaq Hot Start DNA Polymerase, (C) Promega GoTaq G2 DNA Polymerase, (D) Toyobo Quick Taq HS DyeMix, (E) Roche FastStart Taq DNA Polymerase, and (F) Sigma-Aldrich JumpStart Taq DNA Polymerase. Cycling times for each polymerase are shown in purple, while ramping times on the ProFlex PCR System (6°C/sec peak block ramp rate) are shown in red. PCR product analysis in 1% TAE agarose gels is presented below the graph. The size marker is the ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder 2.

High sensitivity and specificity

The high sensitivity of Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase enables successful amplification of specific product in experiments where there is a limited amount of starting material or the target DNA is in low concentration in the sample. 

High sensitivity and reliable amplification from low amounts of input DNA

Figure 4. High sensitivity and reliable amplification from low amounts of input DNA. Amplification of a 529 bp fragment from 0 (no template control); 0.016; 0.08; 0.4; 2; 10; 50; 250 ng of human genomic DNA were amplified in 50 μL PCR reactions using Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase or competitor DNA polymerases (A—KAPA2G Fast HotStart, B—NEB OneTaq Hot Start, C—Promega GoTaq G2, D—Sigma JumpStart Taq, and E—Takara Taq HS Perfect Mix). The estimated copy number is ~5 copies per 0.016 ng of human genomic DNA. The molecular weight marker is ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder 2.

Tolerant to inhibitors

Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase was engineered for resistance to inhibitors and helps enable successful amplification with samples of suboptimal purity.

Resistance to inhibitors

Figure 5. Resistance to inhibitors. Amplification of a 1 kb fragment from human genomic DNA using Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase or competitor DNA polymerases (A—KAPA 2G Robust HotStart, B—NEB OneTaq Hot Start, C—Promega GoTaq G2, and D—Takara Taq Hot Start Version) in reaction mixtures containing: 1—humic acid (up to final concentration of 1.3 µg/mL), 2—hemin (up to final concentration of 6 µM), 3—xylan (up to final concentration of 0.26 mg/mL), or 4—no inhibitor control. The molecular weight marker is ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder 2.

Amplification of DNA extracted from FFPE tissue samples

Figure 6. Amplification of DNA extracted from FFPE tissue samples. Amplification of a 527 bp fragment from varying amounts of DNA extracted from mouse FFPE tissue samples using Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA polymerase. RecoverAll Total Nucleic Acid Isolation Kit for FFPE was used for DNA extraction. NTC: no template control. PC: positive control from 1 ng of purified mouse genomic DNA. The molecular weight marker is ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder 2.

Robust amplification

The formulation of Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase and 2X Master Mixes allows for amplification of versatile range of targets, from AT-rich to GC-rich. A separate vial of Platinum GC Enhancer is provided for specific amplification and improved yields of targets with high-GC content.

Robust amplification of AT-rich and GC-rich targets

Figure 7. Robust amplification of AT-rich and GC-rich targets. Various DNA fragments of increasing GC content (indicated above the corresponding lanes) were amplified from 100 ng of human genomic DNA in 50 µL PCR reactions. Platinum GC Enhancer was used for targets with >65% GC. The molecular weight marker is ZipRuler Express DNA Ladder 2.

Compatibility with Sanger sequencing

PCR fragments generated by Platinum II Taq Hot-start DNA Polymerase work well for Sanger sequencing. The enzyme’s superior performance, universal primer annealing, and fast synthesis enable generation of PCR amplicons for Sanger sequencing, with ease and simplicity.

High-quality Sanger sequencing results

Figure 8. High-quality Sanger sequencing results. A 1.6 kb PCR fragment amplified by Platinum II Taq Hot-start DNA Polymerase was Sanger sequenced using Applied Biosystems 3130xl Genetic Analyzer. Data reported by the KB basecaller of the built-in sequencing analysis software is shown. Clear-range read length (CRL) is defined as the longest uninterrupted segment of bases at a given Quality Value (QV). QV20 corresponds to 1% probability of a base call error and QV30 corresponds to 0.1%. QV>20 is considered high quality and acceptable in most cases.

What is hot-start PCR?

Learn about common issues in PCR amplification and how you can resolve them with hot-start PCR. Also discover different types of hot-start enzyme modifications and how to choose a hot-start DNA polymerase suitable for your PCR.

What is the difference between Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase and Platinum Taq DNA Polymerase?

Platinum Taq DNA Polymerase has been trusted by researchers for over two decades and has been used in several thousand publications. Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase is the next generation hot-start DNA polymerase, newly engineered for rapid, robust performance. We recommend that investigators starting new projects use Platinum II Taq DNA Polymerase so that they can benefit from its superior performance, summarized in the table below.

Comparison of technical specifications between Platinum II Taq Hot-Start and Platinum Taq DNA Polymerases

 Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA PolymerasePlatinum Taq DNA Polymerase
Universal annealing protocolYesNo
Speed15 sec/kb1 min/kb
Flexible extension stepaYesNo
Inhibitor toleranceYesNo
Target lengthUp to 5 kbUp to 5 kb
Hot-start modificationAntibody-mediatedAntibody-mediated
Fidelity versus Taq DNA Polymerase1x1x
Amplicon overhangs3’A3’A
Benchtop stability of assembled PCR reactions24 h24 h
GC-rich amplificationYesYes
Certified low level of residual human and bacterial DNAdYes
(≤1 copy of bacterial gDNA/enzyme unit) 		No
Master mix formatsColorless/greenbColorless/greenb
Stand-alone enzyme formatsColorlesscColorless/greenb

aThe extension step can be extended up to 60 sec/kb without the effect on specificity. bDirect gel loading with green buffer options. cGreen buffer available as separate item for use with stand-alone enzyme for direct loading gel. dDuring manufacturing of Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase, strict measures are taken to control and verify by qPCR that no more than one copy of residual bacterial genomic DNA is present per unit of the polymerase.

References

(Micro)biota

UsagePublications
Ion Torrent sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genesBasic M, Bolsega S, Smoczek A et al. (2021) Monitoring and contamination incidence of gnotobiotic experiments performed in microisolator cages. Int J Med Microbiol 311(3):151482. 
Metabarcoding of sedimentary ancient DNA samplesCapo E, Giguet-Covex C, Rouillard A et al. (2021) Lake sedimentary DNA research on past terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity: overview and recommendations. Quaternary 4:6. 
Restriction enzyme site-directed amplification PCR (REDA-PCR) and cloning with microalga DNALee JW, Lee MW, Ha JS (2020) Development of a species-specific transformation system using the novel endogenous promoter calreticulin from oleaginous microalgae Ettlia sp. Sci Rep 10(1):13947. 
Diatom DNA amplification with degenerate primers for Illumina sequencingNistal A, Garcia P, Garcia J et al. (2021) DNA metabarcoding and morphological methods show complementary patterns in the metacommunity organization of lentic epiphytic diatoms. ARPHA Conference Abstracts 4: e63672. 
Ion Torrent sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genesSchwarz SR, Hirsch S, Hiergeist A et al (2020) Limited antimicrobial efficacy of oral care antiseptics in microcosm biofilms and phenotypic adaptation of bacteria upon repeated exposure. Clin Oral Investig Epub ahead of print 
Amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA gene using barcoded primers for Illumina sequencingWallis A, Yannuzzi IM, Choi MW (2021) Investigating the distribution of strains of Erwinia amylovora and streptomycin resistance in apple orchards in New York using CRISPR profiles: a six-year follow-up. Plant Dis Epub ahead of print. 

Cancer research

UsagePublications
PCR with genomic DNA of primary human cancer cells for mutation detectionAnwar SL, Hasemeier B, Schipper E et al. (2019) LINE-1 hypomethylation in human hepatocellular carcinomas correlates with shorter overall survival and CIMP phenotype. PLoS One 14(5):e0216374. 
PCR with genomic DNA from whole blood samples, followed by Sanger sequencingArévalo-Jaramillo P, Idrobo A, Salcedo L (2019) Biochemical and genotoxic effects in women exposed to pesticides in Southern Ecuador. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 26(24):24911–24921. 
PCR of bisulfite-treated DNA from carcinoma cell lines, followed by Sanger sequencingIbrahim ML, Klement JD, Lu C et al. (2018) Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Produce IL-10 to Elicit DNMT3b-Dependent IRF8 Silencing to Promote Colitis-Associated Colon Tumorigenesis. Cell Rep 25(11):3036–3046. 
PCR with bisulfite-treated DNA from human tissues and cells, followed by Ion Torrent sequencingMa Y, Chai N, Jiang Q (2020) DNA methyltransferase mediates the hypermethylation of the microRNA 34a promoter and enhances the resistance of patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells to molecular targeting agents. Pharmacol Res 160:105071. 
Touchdown PCR with DNA from FFPE samples, followed by Sanger SequencingMaier AD, Stenman A, Svahn F et al. (2021) TERT promoter mutations in primary and secondary WHO grade III meningioma. Brain Pathol 31(1):61–69. 
Two-step RT-PCR with DNA from human cells for detection of transgene expressionMcCormick CA, Samuels TL, Battle MA (2021) H+/K+ATPase Expression in the Larynx of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux and Laryngeal Cancer Patients. Laryngoscope 131(1):130–135. 
Amplification of an siRNA template from human cancer cell linesWang YL, Chang LC, Chen KB et al. (2021) Aptamer-guided targeting of the intracellular long-noncoding RNA HOTAIR. Am J Cancer Res 11(3):945–954. 
(Micro)biota

(Micro)biota

UsagePublications
Ion Torrent sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genesBasic M, Bolsega S, Smoczek A et al. (2021) Monitoring and contamination incidence of gnotobiotic experiments performed in microisolator cages. Int J Med Microbiol 311(3):151482. 
Metabarcoding of sedimentary ancient DNA samplesCapo E, Giguet-Covex C, Rouillard A et al. (2021) Lake sedimentary DNA research on past terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity: overview and recommendations. Quaternary 4:6. 
Restriction enzyme site-directed amplification PCR (REDA-PCR) and cloning with microalga DNALee JW, Lee MW, Ha JS (2020) Development of a species-specific transformation system using the novel endogenous promoter calreticulin from oleaginous microalgae Ettlia sp. Sci Rep 10(1):13947. 
Diatom DNA amplification with degenerate primers for Illumina sequencingNistal A, Garcia P, Garcia J et al. (2021) DNA metabarcoding and morphological methods show complementary patterns in the metacommunity organization of lentic epiphytic diatoms. ARPHA Conference Abstracts 4: e63672. 
Ion Torrent sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genesSchwarz SR, Hirsch S, Hiergeist A et al (2020) Limited antimicrobial efficacy of oral care antiseptics in microcosm biofilms and phenotypic adaptation of bacteria upon repeated exposure. Clin Oral Investig Epub ahead of print 
Amplification of bacterial 16S rRNA gene using barcoded primers for Illumina sequencingWallis A, Yannuzzi IM, Choi MW (2021) Investigating the distribution of strains of Erwinia amylovora and streptomycin resistance in apple orchards in New York using CRISPR profiles: a six-year follow-up. Plant Dis Epub ahead of print. 
Cancer
research

Cancer research

UsagePublications
PCR with genomic DNA of primary human cancer cells for mutation detectionAnwar SL, Hasemeier B, Schipper E et al. (2019) LINE-1 hypomethylation in human hepatocellular carcinomas correlates with shorter overall survival and CIMP phenotype. PLoS One 14(5):e0216374. 
PCR with genomic DNA from whole blood samples, followed by Sanger sequencingArévalo-Jaramillo P, Idrobo A, Salcedo L (2019) Biochemical and genotoxic effects in women exposed to pesticides in Southern Ecuador. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 26(24):24911–24921. 
PCR of bisulfite-treated DNA from carcinoma cell lines, followed by Sanger sequencingIbrahim ML, Klement JD, Lu C et al. (2018) Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Produce IL-10 to Elicit DNMT3b-Dependent IRF8 Silencing to Promote Colitis-Associated Colon Tumorigenesis. Cell Rep 25(11):3036–3046. 
PCR with bisulfite-treated DNA from human tissues and cells, followed by Ion Torrent sequencingMa Y, Chai N, Jiang Q (2020) DNA methyltransferase mediates the hypermethylation of the microRNA 34a promoter and enhances the resistance of patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells to molecular targeting agents. Pharmacol Res 160:105071. 
Touchdown PCR with DNA from FFPE samples, followed by Sanger SequencingMaier AD, Stenman A, Svahn F et al. (2021) TERT promoter mutations in primary and secondary WHO grade III meningioma. Brain Pathol 31(1):61–69. 
Two-step RT-PCR with DNA from human cells for detection of transgene expressionMcCormick CA, Samuels TL, Battle MA (2021) H+/K+ATPase Expression in the Larynx of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux and Laryngeal Cancer Patients. Laryngoscope 131(1):130–135. 
Amplification of an siRNA template from human cancer cell linesWang YL, Chang LC, Chen KB et al. (2021) Aptamer-guided targeting of the intracellular long-noncoding RNA HOTAIR. Am J Cancer Res 11(3):945–954. 
Developmental
biology

Developmental biology

UsagePublications
Two-step RT-PCR with human and mouse pluripotent stem cellsEsseltine JL, Brooks CR, Edwards NA et al. (2020) Dynamic regulation of connexins in stem cell pluripotency. Stem Cells 38:52–66. 
MicroRNA-binding site cloning of bovine DNAShen X, Tang J, Ru W et al. (2021) CircINSR regulates fetal bovine muscle and fat development. Front Cell Dev Bio 8:615638. 
Disease
model

Disease models

UsagePublications
RT-PCR with human iPSC cDNAHong J, Xu M, Li R et al. (2019) Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell line (TRNDi008-A) from a Hunter syndrome patient carrying a hemizygous 208insC mutation in the IDS gene. Stem Cell Res 37:101451. 
Two-step RT-PCR with mouse liver cDNA for alternative splicing assaysHyun J, Sun Z, Ahmadi AR, Bangru S et al. (2020) Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2-mediated alternative splicing reprograms hepatocytes in severe alcoholic hepatitis. J Clin Invest 130(4):2129–2145. 
PCR of protozoan genomic DNA, followed by Sanger sequencingPrakas P, Kirillova V, Gavarāne I et al. (2019) Morphological and molecular description of Sarcocystis ratti n. sp. from the black rat (Rattus rattus) in Latvia. Parasitol Res 118(9):2689–2694. 
Mouse genotyping PCRSava V, Fihurka O, Khvorova A et al. (2020) Enriched chitosan nanoparticles loaded with siRNA are effective in lowering Huntington's disease gene expression following intranasal administration. Nanomedicine 24:102119. 
Gene
regulation

Gene regulation

UsagePublications
GC-rich PCR of sea lamprey gene, followed by cloning and sequencingGong N, Ferreira-Martins D, McCormick SD et al. (2020) Divergent genes encoding the putative receptors for growth hormone and prolactin in sea lamprey display distinct patterns of expression. Sci Rep 10(1):1674. 
Two-step RT-PCR with cDNA from goat primary cells for gene expression analysisLuan Z, Fan X, Song H et al. (2019) Testosterone promotes GPX5 expression of goat epididymal epithelial cells cultured in vitro. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 55(9):677–685. 
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assaysSun D. (2019) Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assay to Analyze the Effect of G-Quadruplex Interactive Agents on the Binding of RNA Polymerase II and Transcription Factors to a Target Promoter Region. Methods Mol Biol 2035:233–242. 
Phylogenomics

Phylogenomics

UsagePublications
GC-rich PCR of flagellate DNAHackl T, Martin R, Barenhoff K et al. (2020) Four high-quality draft genome assemblies of the marine heterotrophic nanoflagellate Cafeteria roenbergensis. Sci Data 7(1):29. 
Subcloning of E. coli genomic DNA fragmentPrahlad J, Yuan Y, Lin J et al. (2020) The DUF328 family member YaaA is a DNA-binding protein with a novel fold. J Biol Chem 295(41):14236–14247. 
PCR of mitochondrial DNA from blood samplesWharton D, Morey KC, Hanner R. (2021) Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA in mice after inter-species hybridization and 138 generations of backcrossing. Mitochondrial DNA A DNA Mapp Seq Anal 32(2):73–75. 
Plant
biology

Plant biology

UsagePublications
Plant DNA cloningArrey-Salas O, Caris-Maldonado JC, Hernández-Rojas B (2021) Comprehensive genome-wide exploration of C2H2 zinc finger family in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.): Insights into the roles in the pollen development regulation. Genes (Basel) 12(2):302. 
SNP genotyping of plant by ddRAD-SeqYamazaki A, Shirasawa K, Hosokawa M (2020) Transgressive segregation and gene regions controlling thermotolerance of fruit set and pollen germination in Capsicum chinense. Euphytica 216:179. 
Viral
research

Viral research

UsagePublications
PCR with DNA from FFPE samples for detection of viral (EBV, HPV) sequencesGupta I, Al Farsi H, Jabeen A et al. (2020) High-Risk Human Papillomaviruses and Epstein-Barr Virus in Colorectal Cancer and Their Association with Clinicopathological Status. Pathogens 9(6):452. 
Amplification of fowl adenoviral DNA from allantoic samples, followed by Sanger sequencingWibowo MH, Sahesty A, Mahardika BK et al. (2019) Epizootiology, Clinical Signs, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Fowl Adenovirus in Chicken Farms in Indonesia from 2018 to 2019. Avian Dis 63(4):619–624. 

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Platinum II Taq Hot-Start DNA Polymerase

The original Platinum Taq DNA Polymerase
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