Taq polymerase is an enzyme derived from the bacterium Thermus aquaticus, which thrives in hot springs. It plays a crucial role in the process of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique used to amplify DNA. Taq polymerase is heat-stable, allowing it to withstand the high temperatures used during PCR without denaturing. This enzyme synthesizes new DNA strands by adding nucleotides to a template strand. Its ability to function at elevated temperatures makes it essential for PCR, as it enables the denaturation of DNA and subsequent amplification in a single cycle. Taq polymerase has become a fundamental tool in molecular biology and genetics.