Patent ID: 7888136

Claim:
A nucleic acid reporter molecule that has a RNA/DNA ratio of fluorescence enhancement greater than about one wherein the nucleic acid reporter molecule comprises a first monomethine unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moiety, a second monomethine unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moiety and a linker that is wherein R 8 is a substituted heteroatom or an unsubstituted heteroatom; R 9 is a substituted heteroatom or an unsubstituted heteroatom; R 12 is a substituted heteroatom or an unsubstituted heteroatom; each Z is —(CH 2 ) g wherein g is 0 or 1; and the first unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moiety is covalently attached to the linker; and the second unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moiety is covalently attached to the linker.