Patent ID: 8323897

Claim:
A method for analyzing a sample or plurality of samples for the presence of one or more polynucleotide sequences of interest, comprising: (i) amplifying at least one of said polynucleotides of interest in the presence of: (a) a plurality of different amplification primer pairs suitable for amplifying said polynucleotide sequences of interest; and (b) a plurality of oligonucleotide probes, wherein each of said plurality of oligonucleotide probes is complementary to a region of a different polynucleotide sequence of interest amplified by said plurality of primer pairs and comprises a label suitable for monitoring amplification as a function of time; and (ii) amplifying the products of said step (i) by dividing said products of step (i) into a plurality of aliquots and performing real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on at least one of said aliquots in the presence of: (a) at least one of said primer pairs used in step (i); and (b) at least one of said oligonucleotide probes used in step (i) wherein said oligonucleotide probe in step (ii) is complementary to a region of a polynucleotide sequence of interest amplified by said primer pair in step (ii), wherein said step (i) amplifying is carried out for less than 40 cycles.