Engineered

1. A polymerase comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to a continuous 500 amino acid sequence within SEQ ID NO: 1; comprising the following amino acids:

an alanine at amino acid position 409 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 409;

a glycine at amino acid position 410 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 410;

a proline at amino acid position 411 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 411; and

a glutamine, arginine, or alanine at amino acid position 93 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 93.

2. The polymerase of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following amino acids:

an alanine at amino acid position 141 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 141;

an alanine at amino acid position 143 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 143;

an alanine at amino acid position 144 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 144;

a glutamic acid at amino acid position 153 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 153;

an alanine at amino acid position 215 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 215;

an alanine at amino acid position 315 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 315;

an alanine at amino acid positions 215 and 315 or amino acid positions functionally equivalent to amino acid positions 215 and 315;

a serine at amino acid position 515 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 515;

a leucine at amino acid position 522 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 522;

an isoleucine at amino acid position 591 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 591;

a tryptophan at amino acid position 477 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 477;

an alanine at amino acid position 477 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 477;

an alanine at amino acid position 478 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 478;

a serine at amino acid position 479 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 479;

a tryptophan at amino acid position 477 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 477 and an alanine at amino acid position 478 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 478;

an alanine at amino acid position 477 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 477, an alanine at amino acid position 478 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 478 and a serine at amino acid position 479 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 479;

an alanine at amino acid position 603 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 603;

a leucine at amino acid position 640 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 640;

a glutamic acid at amino acid position 713 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 713;

an alanine at amino acid position 714 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 714;

an alanine at amino acid position 719 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 719;

an alanine at amino acid position 720 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 720; or

an alanine at amino acid position 736 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 736.

3. The polymerase of claim 1 , wherein the polymerase comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to a continuous 500 amino acid sequence within SEQ ID NO: 1.

4. The polymerase of claim 1 , which exhibits an increased rate of incorporation of modified nucleotides, relative to a control.

5. The polymerase of claim 1 , wherein the polymerase is selected from a Pyrococcus abyssi, Pyrococcus endeavori, Pyrococcus furiosus, Pyrococcus glycovorans, Pyrococcus horikoshii, Pyrococcus kukulkanii, Pyrococcus woesei, Pyrococcus yayanosii, Pyrococcus sp., Pyrococcus sp. 12/1, Pyrococcus sp. 121, Pyrococcus sp. 303, Pyrococcus sp. 304, Pyrococcus sp. 312, Pyrococcus sp. 32-4, Pyrococcus sp. 321, Pyrococcus sp. 322, Pyrococcus sp. 323, Pyrococcus sp. 324, Pyrococcus sp. 95-12-1, Pyrococcus sp. AV5 , Pyrococcus sp. Ax99-7, Pyrococcus sp. C2, Pyrococcus sp. EX2, Pyrococcus sp. Fla95-Pc, Pyrococcus sp. GB-3A, Pyrococcus sp. GB-D, Pyrococcus sp. GBD, Pyrococcus sp. GI-H, Pyrococcus sp. GI-J, Pyrococcus sp. GIL, Pyrococcus sp. HT3, Pyrococcus sp. JT1, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A29, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A30, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A31, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A32, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A33, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A34, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A35, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A36, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A37, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A38, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A39, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A40, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A41, Pyrococcus sp. LMO-A42, Pyrococcus sp. M24D13, Pyrococcus sp. MA2.31, Pyrococcus sp. MA2.32, Pyrococcus sp. MA2.34, Pyrococcus sp. MV1019, Pyrococcus sp. MV4, Pyrococcus sp. MV7, Pyrococcus sp. MZ14, Pyrococcus sp. MZ4, Pyrococcus sp. NA2, Pyrococcus sp. NS102-T, Pyrococcus sp. P12.1, Pyrococcus sp. Pikanate 5017, Pyrococcus sp. PK 5017, Pyrococcus sp. ST04, Pyrococcus sp. ST700, Pyrococcus sp. Tc-2-70, Pyrococcus sp. Tc95-7C-I, Pyrococcus sp. TC95-7C-S, Pyrococcus sp. Tc95_6, Pyrococcus sp. V211, Pyrococcus sp. V212, Pyrococcus sp. V221, Pyrococcus sp. V222, Pyrococcus sp. V231, Pyrococcus sp. V232, Pyrococcus sp. V61, Pyrococcus sp. V62, Pyrococcus sp. V63, Pyrococcus sp. V72, Pyrococcus sp. V73, Pyrococcus sp. VB 112, Pyrococcus sp. VB113, Pyrococcus sp. VB81, Pyrococcus sp. VB82, Pyrococcus sp. VB83, Pyrococcus sp. VB85, Pyrococcus sp. VB86, Pyrococcus sp. VB93 polymerase, Pyrococcus furiosus DSM 3638, Pyrococcus sp. GE23, Pyrococcus sp. GI-H, Pyrococcus sp. NA2, Pyrococcus sp. ST04, or Pyrococcus sp. ST700 polymerase.

6. The polymerase according to claim 1 , which is capable of incorporating modified nucleotides at reaction temperatures across the range of 40° C. to 80° C.

7. The polymerase according to claim 3 , further comprising the following amino acids:

an alanine at amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144, a valine at amino acid position 486 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 486, a serine at amino acid position 515 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 515, an isoleucine at amino acid position 591 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 591, and a leucine at amino acid position 640 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 640;

an alanine at amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144, a leucine at amino acid position 486 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 486, a serine at amino acid position 515 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 515, and an isoleucine at amino acid position 591 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 591;

an alanine at amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144, a valine at amino acid position 486 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 486, a serine at amino acid position 515 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 515, an isoleucine at amino acid position 591 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 591, and an alanine at amino acid position 603 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 603; or

an alanine at amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 129, 141, 143, and 144, functionally equivalent to amino acid position 411, a valine at amino acid position 486 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 486, a serine at amino acid position 515 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 515, an isoleucine at amino acid position 591 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 591, a tryptophan at amino acid position 477 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 477; and an alanine at amino acid position 478 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 478.

8. The polymerase of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following:

a serine at amino acid position 429 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 429; a serine at amino acid position 443 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 443; a serine at amino acid position 507 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 507; and a serine at amino acid position 510 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 510.

9. The polymerase of claim 1 , wherein the polymerase comprises the following amino acid substitution mutations relative to SEQ ID NO: 1:

a) M129A; D141A; E143A; T144A; L409A; Y410G; A486V; T515S; T591I; K477W; K478A; A640L; V93A;

b) M129A; D141A; E143A; T144A; L409A; Y410G; A486V; T515S; T591I; K603A; A640L; V93R;

c) M129A; D141A; E143A; T144A; L409A; Y410G; A486V; T515S; T591I; K477W; K478A; A640L; V93Q;

d) M129A; D141A; E143A; T144A; L409A; Y410G; A486V; T515S; T591I; K603A; A640L; V93A; or

e) M129A; D141A; E143A; T144A; L409A; Y410G; A486V; T515S; T591I; K603A; A640L; and V93Q.

10. A kit comprising the polymerase of claim 1 .

11. A polymerase comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 80% identical to a continuous 500 amino acid sequence within SEQ ID NO: 1, comprising a first mutation at amino acid position 409 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 409, and at least one mutation at

amino acid position 429 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 429,

amino acid position 443 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 443,

amino acid position 507 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 507, or

amino acid position 510 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 510.

12. The polymerase of claim 11 , comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 85% identical to a continuous 500 amino acid sequence within SEQ ID NO: 1.

13. The polymerase of claim 11 , wherein the first mutation at amino acid position 409 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 409 comprises a serine, cysteine, alanine, glycine, valine, isoleucine, glutamine, or histidine.

14. The polymerase of claim 11 , wherein the first mutation at amino acid position 409 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 409 comprises a serine or alanine.

15. The polymerase of claim 11 , further comprising an alanine or glycine mutation at amino acid position 410 or an amino acid position functionally equivalent to amino acid position 410.

16. A method of incorporating a modified nucleotide into a nucleic acid sequence comprising allowing the following components to interact: (i) a nucleic acid template, (ii) a nucleotide solution, and (iii) a polymerase, wherein the polymerase is a polymerase of claim 1 .

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the polymerase is capable of incorporating a modified nucleotide into a nucleic acid sequence in stringent hybridization conditions.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the polymerase is capable of incorporating a modified nucleotide into a nucleic acid sequence at 55° C. to 80° C.

19. A method of sequencing a nucleic acid sequence comprising:

a. hybridizing a nucleic acid template with a primer to form a primer-template hybridization complex;

b. contacting the primer-template hybridization complex with a DNA polymerase and nucleotides, wherein the DNA polymerase is the polymerase of claim 1 and the nucleotides comprise a modified nucleotide, wherein the modified nucleotide comprises a detectable label;

c. subjecting the primer-template hybridization complex to conditions which enable the polymerase to incorporate a modified nucleotide into the primer-template hybridization complex to form a modified primer-template hybridization complex;

d. detecting the detectable label; thereby sequencing a nucleic acid sequence.