Patent ID: 8394609

Claim:
A method of distinguishing a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a target nucleic acid comprising: combining said target nucleic acid with a first internally labeled universal primer, a first allele specific primer, a second internally labeled universal primer, a second allele specific primer, and a common reverse or forward primer which hybridizes to said target nucleic acid, wherein said first and second internally labeled universal primers are labeled with a single label that undergoes a detectable change in one or more detectable properties upon hybridization or extension, wherein said first and second labels are different, and wherein said first allele specific primer has a 5′ tail which hybridizes to said first universal primer and a terminal 3′ nucleotide that is specific to a first allele, and said second allele specific primer has a 5′ tail which hybridizes to said second universal primer and a terminal 3′ nucleotide that is specific to a second allele, under conditions which allow extension of said allele specific primers; and detecting said first and said second labels, wherein the presence of said first label indicates the presence of said first allele, the presence of said second label indicates the presence of said second allele, and the presence of both labels indicates the presence of both alleles.