Patent ID: 6890712

Claim:
A process for the detection of a specific nucleic acid sequence comprising: (a) forming a first composition comprising (i) a sample, (ii) a first oligonucleotide primer which comprises a promoter sequence, (iii) a second oligonucleotide primer, (iv) a DNA-directed RNA polymerase, (v) an RNA-directed DNA polymerase, (vi) a DNA-directed DNA polymerase, and (vii) a ribonuclease that hydrolyzes RNA of an RNA-DNA hybrid without hydrolyzing single or double-stranded RNA or DNA; (b) incubating the first composition for a sufficient time to amplify said specific nucleic acid sequence to form a mixture comprising an amplified nucleic acid sequence; (c) forming a second composition by adding to a sample of said mixture the following reagents (i) at least one deletion probe sequence which specifically hybridizes to said amplified nucleic acid sequence, said detection probe sequence being labeled with an electrochemiluminescent species, (ii) at least one capture probe sequence which specifically hybridizes to said amplified nucleic acid sequence, said capture probe sequence being labeled with a binding species, and (iii) a solid phase coated with a binding partner of said binding species; (d) incubating said second composition for a time sufficient to allow hybridization of said probes to said amplified nucleic acid sequence and to allow binding of said binding species to said binding partner so as to form a solid phase-bound hybridization complex; and (e) detecting said specific nucleic acid sequence by measuring electrochemiluminescence from said solid phase-bound hybridization complex.