Mutant DNA polymerases

1. A mutant Type-A DNA polymerase having a sequence at least 93% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 comprising:

a mutation occurring at a position corresponding to one or more amino acid residues 551, 788, and 798 of SEQ ID NO:8,

wherein the mutant polymerase possesses a higher resistance to a polymerization activity inhibitor than SEQ ID NO:8.

2. The mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 comprising mutations at D551R, V788L, and A798E relative to SEQ ID NO:8.

3. The mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 comprising one or more additional mutations at one or more position corresponding to amino acid residues of SEQ ID NO:8 selected from the group consisting of 52, 99, 109, 128, 154, 259, 268, and 739, wherein the mutations at the one or more position result in an amino acid different from the amino acid that occurs at the one or more position of SEQ ID NO:8.

4. The mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 3 comprising mutations at L52A, I99M, A109E, K128I, H154A, A259R, R268G, and S739R relative to SEQ ID NO:8.

5. The mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, or SEQ ID NO: 7.

6. The mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 , wherein the mutant Type-A DNA polymerase is thermostable at 98° C. for at least 15 minutes.

7. A composition comprising (i) the mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 and (ii) one or more reagents selected from the group consisting of an aqueous buffer, a metal ion, nucleotides, a primer, a probe, a detergent, a dye, a detection agent, a target nucleic acid, an anticoagulant, and a cell lysis agent.

8. A method of amplifying a target nucleic acid, the method comprising:

contacting a test sample suspected of containing the target nucleic acid with the mutant polymerase of claim 1 , at least one primer that specifically binds to the target nucleic acid, and nucleotides to form a mixture; and

incubating the mixture under conditions permitting extension of the at least one primer by the polymerase using the sequence of the target nucleic acid as a template for incorporation of the nucleotides.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is PCR.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method is qPCR, RT-PCR, or ddPCR.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditions include the presence of an inhibitor of the wild-type DNA polymerase at a concentration that is inhibitory to the wild-type DNA polymerase.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the test sample is a blood sample or a fraction of blood.

13. A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes the mutant thermostable Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 .

14. A vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim 13 .

15. A host cell comprising the vector of claim 14 .

16. A method of producing a polypeptide, the method comprising:

culturing a host cell comprising a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes the mutant Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 in a medium under conditions permitting expression of a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid; and

purifying the polypeptide from the cultured cell or medium.

17. A kit for amplifying a target nucleic acid, the kit comprising (i) the mutant thermostable Type-A DNA polymerase of claim 1 and (ii) one or more reagents selected from the group consisting of an aqueous buffer, a metal ion, a nucleotide, a primer, a probe, a detergent, a detection agent, a dye, an anticoagulant, and a cell lysis agent.

18. A mutant Type-A DNA polymerase having a sequence at least 90% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 comprising:

a mutation occurring at a position corresponding to D551R relative to SEQ ID NO:8

wherein the mutant polymerase possesses a higher resistance to a polymerization activity inhibitor than SEQ ID NO:8.