The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 28, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 26, 1999
James G Nadeau, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
J Bruce Pitner, Durham, NC (US);
C Preston Linn, Durham, NC (US);
James L Schram, Knightdale, NC (US);
Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ (US);
Abstract
A detector oligonucleotide having a sequence which forms an intramolecularly base-paired secondary structure is described for use in detecting nucleic acid target sequences and target sequence amplification. The detector oligonucleotide is further modified by linkage to two dyes which form a donor/acceptor dye pair. The two dyes are positioned on the detector oligonucleotide such that they are in close spatial proximity in the base-paired, folded secondary structure, thereby causing quenching of donor fluorescence. The detector oligonucleotide may optionally further comprise a restriction endonuclease recognition site (RERS) which remains partially or entirely single-stranded in the base-paired secondary structure. The RERS is flanked by the two dyes. In the presence of target, the base-paired secondary structure is unfolded or linearized, increasing the distance between the donor and acceptor dyes and causing a change in fluorescence of the donor and/or the acceptor. If an RERS is present, it is rendered double-stranded in the presence of target, allowing cleavage or nicking by a restriction endonuclease and separation of the two dyes onto separate nucleic acid fragments. This may further contribute to the magnitude of the change in fluorescence.