PCR 10x Taq Buffer with MgCl2

[Duncan Clark]

Historians believe that in newspost 
<mailman.1030.1158253386.20007.methods at net.bio.net> on Thu, 14 Sep 2006, 
Alexander Berkow <alexbrkw at gmail.com> penned the following literary 
masterpiece:
>Can someone out there tell me what the purpose of the MgCl2 in the 10x Taq
>PCR reaction buffer is and what else is in the buffer that is necessary for
>the PCR to work correctly?

The enzyme has an absolute requirement for Mg - Mn may substitute but 
very very poorly.

Like any enzyme, DNA polymerases have optimal reaction conditions. The 
buffers used in PCR allow the enzyme to work as close to optimal as is 
possible in the application.

Duncan
-- 
I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing noise they make as
they go flying by.

Duncan Clark
GeneSys Ltd.