Patent ID: 7820389
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: C12Q,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for increasing hybridization efficiency between a capture probe and a target nucleic acid, comprising: providing a probe complex comprising a capture probe and a linker sequence, wherein said capture probe comprises a complementary region comprising a nucleic acid that is substantially complementary to a target nucleic acid sequence, and wherein said linker sequence is operably linked to said capture probe; providing a target nucleic acid, wherein said target nucleic acid or a fragment thereof is substantially complementary to said complementary region of said capture probe; providing a competitor nucleic acid, wherein said competitor nucleic acid comprises a complementary region that is fully complementary to said linker sequence and a universal region comprising at least about two universal bases that can hybridize to A, T, C and G, wherein said universal bases are nucleotide analogs that form fewer hydrogen bonds with naturally occurring nucleotides than between naturally occurring nucleotides, and wherein said universal region is adjacent to the 5′ end of said complementary region of said competitor nucleic acid; and contacting said probe complex with said target nucleic acid and said competitor nucleic acid, thereby increasing the hybridization efficiency between the capture probe and the target nucleic acid.