However, several studies have shown that the incorporation of Mn 2+ ions in place of Mg 2+ enhances the rate of the reaction . A computational study of the reaction mechanism of DNA pol λ by Cisneros et. al. with both Mg 2+ and Mn 2+ ions showed that the reaction barrier of the system catalyzed with Mn 2+ ions was lower than the system with Mg 2+ ions, consistent with experimental findings. Experimental investigation on DNA pol , the mitochondrial DNA polymerase, has also shown increased rate of polymerization in the presence of Mn 2+ ions when compared to Mg 2+ ions. Hence, investigating the various differences that bring about this change can provide insights into the effects of these ions.