Patent ID: 6015675
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: C07H,C12Q

Abstract:
A method for detecting the presence or absence of a specific known nucleic acid sequence, or distinguishing between different sequences, comprising the steps of:adding competitive oligonucleotide primers to a sample of nucleic acid or mixture of nucleic acids wherein at least some of the nucleic acids are polynucleotides comprising a specific known sequence, wherein said competitive oligonucleotide primers include at least two primers, a first primer being substantially complementary to the specific known sequence and at least a second primer having a base mismatch with the specific known sequence;preferentially hybridizing the first primer to the specific known sequence under competitive conditions to form a preferentially hybridized primer complex, said complex comprising a polynucleotide comprising the specific known sequence, and the first primer, the first primer being hybridized to the polynucleotide at the specific known sequence;extending the preferentially hybridized primer from its 3' terminus to synthesize an extension product, said extension product being complementary to the polynucleotide comprising the specific known sequence; andidentifying and detecting the presence or absence of said extension product as an indication of the presence of absence of said specific known sequence.