A method of forming a linkage product, the method comprising: (a) forming a reaction solution comprising a nucleic acid molecule comprising a target nucleic acid template sequence, a probe nucleic acid ("probe"), and a universal linker ("UL"), wherein the probe comprises two or more first reactive moieties ("BFRM1s"), and the universal linker comprises two or more second reactive moieties ("BFRM2s"), each first reactive moiety being capable of reacting with a second reactive moiety to form a bond, wherein the probe comprises a nucleic acid sequence comprising, in 5' to 3' order: (i) a first self-complementary region ("SR1"); (ii) a target-complementary region ("TR") comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid template sequence; and (iii) a second self-complementary region ("SR2") comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the first complementary region; wherein, in the absence of the target nucleic acid template sequence, the first self-complementary region hybridizes with the second self-complementary region such that the probe acquires a stem-loop structure and wherein bond formation between the first reactive moieties and the second reactive moieties is inhibited by the stem-loop structure; and (b) incubating the reaction solution at an incubation temperature such that: the target-complementary region of the probe hybridizes to the target nucleic acid template sequence with a first melting temperature that is higher than the incubation temperature, wherein hybridization of the target-complementary region to the target nucleic acid template sequence disrupts the stem-loop structure of the probe, thereby disinhibiting reaction of the first reactive moieties with the second reactive moieties; and the first reactive moieties of the hybridized probe form chemical bonds with the second reactive moieties of the linker to form a linkage product, wherein the linkage product has a melting temperature for the target nucleic acid template sequence that is lower than the incubation temperature such that the linkage product disassociates from the target nucleic acid template sequence at the incubation temperature. (a) forming a reaction solution comprising a nucleic acid molecule comprising a target nucleic acid template sequence, a probe nucleic acid ("probe"), and a universal linker ("UL"), wherein the probe comprises two or more first reactive moieties ("BFRM1s"), and the universal linker comprises two or more second reactive moieties ("BFRM2s"), each first reactive moiety being capable of reacting with a second reactive moiety to form a bond, wherein the probe comprises a nucleic acid sequence comprising, in 5' to 3' order: (i) a first self-complementary region ("SR1"); (ii) a target-complementary region ("TR") comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid template sequence; and (iii) a second self-complementary region ("SR2") comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the first complementary region; wherein, in the absence of the target nucleic acid template sequence, the first self-complementary region hybridizes with the second self-complementary region such that the probe acquires a stem-loop structure and wherein bond formation between the first reactive moieties and the second reactive moieties is inhibited by the stem-loop structure; and (i) a first self-complementary region ("SR1"); (ii) a target-complementary region ("TR") comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid template sequence; and (iii) a second self-complementary region ("SR2") comprising a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the first complementary region; (b) incubating the reaction solution at an incubation temperature such that: the target-complementary region of the probe hybridizes to the target nucleic acid template sequence with a first melting temperature that is higher than the incubation temperature, wherein hybridization of the target-complementary region to the target nucleic acid template sequence disrupts the stem-loop structure of the probe, thereby disinhibiting reaction of the first reactive moieties with the second reactive moieties; and the first reactive moieties of the hybridized probe form chemical bonds with the second reactive moieties of the linker to form a linkage product, wherein the linkage product has a melting temperature for the target nucleic acid template sequence that is lower than the incubation temperature such that the linkage product disassociates from the target nucleic acid template sequence at the incubation temperature. the target-complementary region of the probe hybridizes to the target nucleic acid template sequence with a first melting temperature that is higher than the incubation temperature, wherein hybridization of the target-complementary region to the target nucleic acid template sequence disrupts the stem-loop structure of the probe, thereby disinhibiting reaction of the first reactive moieties with the second reactive moieties; and the first reactive moieties of the hybridized probe form chemical bonds with the second reactive moieties of the linker to form a linkage product, wherein the linkage product has a melting temperature for the target nucleic acid template sequence that is lower than the incubation temperature such that the linkage product disassociates from the target nucleic acid template sequence at the incubation temperature.