taq isolation

[Duncan Clark]

With regards patents, the Roche US enzyme patent is specific for 
Thermus aquaticus YT1. Any other Thermus sp. should be OK. Don't 
forget that the PCR process is yet another patent so if you make 
something like Taq then it's use for the PCR process could also be 
illegal.

This however is not the case with the European enzyme patent. Here the
patent app. (granting is held up due to the Promega/Roche challenge 
in the US) specifies ANY thermophilic DNA pol of size range 
between something like 88000 and 94000 daltons. This takes out all 
known thermophilic pols including Bst, Bca, Vent, Pfu, Pwo, Taq, Tfl, 
Tub, Tth and Tbr etc. The US patent is nothing compared to this!

Duncan  


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
My mind's made up. Don't confuse me with the facts!