Patent ID: 7169560

Claim:
A method for sequencing a nucleic acid template, the method comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a nucleic acid template hybridized to a primer to (i) a polymerase capable of catalyzing nucleotide addition to said primer, and (ii) a labeled nucleotide that is not a chain terminating nucleotide, under reaction conditions and for a time such that on average only one nucleotide is added to said primer by said polymerase to produce an extended primer incorporating said labeled nucleotide; (b) identifying said single labeled nucleotide incorporated in step (a); (c) neutralizing label in said single labeled nucleotide incorporated in step (a); (d) repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) at least once; and (e) determining a sequence of said template based upon the order of incorporation of said labeled nucleotides.