Patent ID: 7112404

Claim:
A method for detecting cytosine methylation and methylated CpG islands within a genomic sample of DNA comprising: (a) contacting a genomic sample of DNA with a modifying agent that modifies unmethylated cytosine to produce a converted nucleic acid; (b) amplifying the converted nucleic acid by means of oligonucleotide primers in the presence of one or a plurality of specific oligonucleotide probes, wherein one or a plurality of the oligonucleotide primers or the specific probe(s) are capable of distinguishing between unmethylated and methylated nucleic acid, with the proviso that at least one oligonucleotide probe is a CpG-specific probe capable of distinguishing between unmethylated and methylated nucleic acid; and (c) detecting, in real-time during the amplification, the methylated nucleic acid based on amplification-mediated probe displacement.