UNIVERSAL PROBES AND METHODS FOR DETECTION OF NUCLEIC ACIDS

摘要

Signal primers are employed for detection of nucleic acid target sequences by fluorescence quenching mechanisms. The signal primer comprises a first and a second oligonucleotide and is partially single-stranded and partially double- stranded. In the presence of target, the. second oligonucleotide of the signal primer. is displaced fr om the first and a conformational change in a reporter probe occurs which changes the distance between the members of a donor/quencher dye pair linked to the reporter probe. The chang e in proximity between the dyes causes an increase or a decrease in fluorescence quenching, which is detected as an indication of the presence of the target sequence.