Patent ID: 6025133
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A promoter-sequestered oligonucleoside comprising:a) a stem comprising a first nucleic acid sequence located 3' of a loop region and a second nucleic acid sequence located 5' of said loop region,wherein said first nucleic acid sequence and said second nucleic acid sequence are able to form an intramolecular hybrid with each other, provided that either said first nucleic acid sequence or said second nucleic acid sequence comprises at least a portion of a target-complementary nucleic acid region that can hybridize to a target sequence under amplifying conditions, thereby increasing the accessibility of an RNA polymerase promoter sequence, of which all or a portion is located within said loop region, for hybridization with a promoter-complementary oligonucleotide under said conditions; andb) a single-stranded loop region located between said first nucleic acid sequence and said second nucleic acid sequence,wherein said portion of said promoter sequence located within said single-stranded loop region is sufficient such that said promoter sequence contains less than 40% of activity of said promoter sequence when said promoter sequence is double-stranded; andwherein said oligonucleoside consists of deoxyribonucleotides, 2-methoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, or a combination thereof.