HiFi Taq DNA Ligase is designed for use in methods of SNP detection by ligation, for example, LCR (ligase chain reaction) and LDR (ligase detection reaction). In these methods, the presence of a particular base at a single site can be detected through probes that meet with the terminal base of one probe pairing with the base being analyzed. If the terminal base forms a Watson-Crick base pair with the template at this position, the ligase can join the two probes. If the terminal base does not pair, the ligase will not join the probes. Since the ligase is thermostable the reaction can be cycled and the ligation products amplified.

For more information regarding ligase specificity and high fidelity ligases, visit “Substrate specificity and mismatch discrimination in DNA ligases”.