Homogeneous amplification and detection of nucleic acids

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for detecting or amplifying and detecting a target polynucleotide sequence. The method comprises providing in combination (i) a medium suspected of containing the target polynucleotide sequence, (ii) all reagents required for conducting an amplification of the target polynucleotide sequence when amplification is desired, and (iii) two oligonucleotide probes capable of binding to a single strand of the product of the amplification. At least one of the probes has two sequences that either (i) are non-contiguous and bind to contiguous or non-contiguous sites on the single strand or (ii) can bind to non-contiguous sites on the single strand. Each probe may contain a label. The combination is subjected to conditions for amplifying the target polynucleotide sequence. Next, the combination is subjected to conditions under which both of the probes hybridize to one of the strands to form a termolecular complex, which is detected by means of the label.