Patent ID: 6902900

Claim:
A method for the detection or quantification of a nucleic acid analyte comprising the steps of: a. providing a nucleic acid probe, wherein said nucleic acid probe is comprised of a nucleic acid that is derivatized with two or more non-identical covalently attached dyes, wherein at least one dye is fluorescent, and wherein at least one dye has a high affinity to double stranded nucleic acids, wherein the dyes are attached at either the same nucleotide of the nucleic probe or at nucleotides of the nucleic acid probe that are directly adjacent to each other; b. contacting said nucleic acid probe with a nucleic acid analyte so as to allow for the hybridization of the nucleic acid probe with the nucleic acid analyte; and c. detecting or quantifying said nucleic acid analyte by measuring the change in the fluorescence of the nucleic acid probe resulting from the specific interaction of at least one high affinity dye with the nucleic acid analyte upon the hybridization of the nucleic acid probe with the nucleic acid analyte.