METHOD OF DETECTING GENE

摘要

It is intended to provide a method whereby a specific nucleic acid sequence can be conveniently and quickly detected in a homogeneous system. A signal-generating label and a pair of labels provided in such a manner as to weaken the generation of the signal are attached respectively to the 5'-terminus of a probe DNA and the inside of its strand, the 3'-terminus and the inside of the strand, or both to the inside of the strand. Then the thus labeled probe is hybridized with a target nucleic acid and treated with exonuclease to thereby digest the probe DNA from the 5'- or 3'-terminus. Thus a nucleotide labeled with a reporter group or a quencher group within the strand and/or a nucleotide labeled with a substance capable of effectively weakening the signal of the signal generator are released from the probe DNA. Thereby, the effect of weakening the signal from the reporter group by the quencher group is lost or lowered and a detectable signal is generated, which enables the detection and quantification of a nucleic acid having a specific sequence.